Endocrinology, Vol 125, 1973-1982, Copyright © 1989 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

T- and L-calcium channels in steroid-producing chicken granulosa cells in primary culture

JL Schwartz, EK Asem, GA Mealing, BK Tsang, EC Rousseau, JF Whitfield and MD Payet
Division of Biological Sciences, National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Steroidogenesis and other functions in granulosa cells are calcium dependent. Using the patch-clamp technique to record single ion channel activity, we have identified for the first time two kinds of calcium channels through which the divalent ion may enter chicken granulosa cells. The cells were maintained in primary culture whose basal and hormone-stimulated progesterone production was evaluated at different times in culture and at different temperatures. A small channel, with a conductance of 4-5 picosiemens (pS), had short openings and inactivated rapidly. A large channel had a conductance of 20-30 pS, a high activation threshold, and slow inactivation kinetics. The dihydropyridine compound Bay K-8644, a L-calcium channel agonist, significantly increased the activity of the large channel, and nifedipine, a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, inhibited it completely. Both types of channels were seen in functionally competent signal-responsive granulosa cells cultured for up to 48 h. Whether these channels are involved in steroidogenesis, protein production, and/or secretion remains to be established.

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