Depolarization of Human Neuroblastoma Cells As a Result of Muscarinic Receptor-induced Rise in Cytosolic Ca2+

The role of intracellular free Ca2+ in muscarinic-receptor linked depolarization of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells has been determined by using the bisoxonol membrane potential probe DiBaC4-(3) and intracellular Ca2+ indicator fura-2 respectively. Carbachol and the Ca2+ ionophore, ionomycin, at concentrations which caused similar rises in intracellular Ca2+ increased the bisoxonol fluorescence (depolarization) to the same extent. The membrane potential responses, but not the changes in intracellular Ca2+, were dependent on extracellular Na+. Ionomycin depletion of intracellular Ca2+ with EGTA and ionomycin or loading the cells with a Ca2+ buffer, BAPTA, reduced the carbachol-induced depolarization. The results suggest that a rise in intracellular Ca2+ may cause depolarization through an increase in the Na+ permeability.