Effects of sodium and calcium concentration on the barium chloride-induced electrical and contractile responses of the guinea pig vas deferens
Breuing, E.P.; Kaminskas, R.; Kobashi, Y.L.; Markus, R.P.
Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research 20(2): 231-241
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0100-879X PMID: 3690057 Document Number: 303832
1. The mechanism of 10 mM barium chloride-induced electrical and contractile responses of the guinea pig vas deferens was investigated using calcium channel blockers and by modifying the Na+ and Ca2+ concentrations of the nutritional solution. Isometric contraction and membrane depolarization were measured simultaneously by the sucrose-gap technique. 2. In the absence of added Ca2+ there was a decay of the contractile but not of the depolarizing effect, which was independent of the frequency of 10 mM barium chloride administration. However, both barium-induced contraction and depolarization were reduced and the former more rapidly in a Ca2+-free solution (0.5 mM EGTA). 3. In low-Na+ solution (16 mM) there was a 3-fold increase in depolarization and no change in contraction, but in a low-Na+ Ca2+-free solution (0.5 mM EGTA), only contraction was reduced. 4. Nifedipine blocked both barium-induced contraction and depolarization in a dose-dependent manner when the organs were bathed in regular nutrient solution. In contrast, in low-Na+ solution only 50% of the depolarization was blocked by 10(-6) M nifedipine, which completely inhibited contraction. Both barium-induced contraction and depolarization in low-Na+ Ca2+-free solution were blocked by 10(-3) M LaCl3. 5. These data indicate that in the presence of calcium, barium mobilizes extracellular calcium through voltage-dependent channels and the contraction is due to the entry of calcium. In contrast, in the absence of added Ca2+ or in Ca2+-free solutions (0.5 mM EGTA), barium enters through the voltage-dependent channel and the contraction is reduced because the intracellular stores of calcium are limited.