Ana Lucia M. Britto, Lars Josefsson, 2 Eliuna Scemes, Maria Aparecida Visconti, and Ana Maria de L. Castrucci
ABSTRACT. The effects of either cation removal or ionic channel blockade were determined on the doseresponse curve (DRC) to PCH (pigment-concentrating hormone) in Macrobmchium potiuna erythrophores. In sodium-, potassium- and calcium-free salines, the pigment-aggregating responses to PCH were depressed; in the former condition, maximal aggregation was not achieved and the slope of the regression curve determined from the DRC was significantly different from control. Tetrodotoxin, verapamil or tetraethylammonium (TEA) treatments also diminished the pigment-aggregating responses to PCH, and the slopes of the regression curves were different from control in the presence of 10m6 M verapamil or 10m6 M TEA. Interestingly, the DRC determined in the absence of both sodium and calcium ions was not significantly different from control. When verapamil was applied in sodium-free conditions, maximal aggregation was prevented. The erythrophore resting membrane potential ranged from -62 mV to - 78 mV and did not vary during PCH-induced pigment aggregation as compared to the control. Our results suggest that transient modifications of potassium equilibrium potential may interfere with PCH signal transduction, revealing a more relevant role of potassium in the process, and that a sodium influx and an intracellular calcium mobilization are necessary to maintain a cytosolic balance between the ions for normality of PCH-induced responses. (COMP BIOCHEM PHYSIOL 113A;4:351-359, 1996)
Xanya Sofra Weiss
Xanya Sofra Weiss
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