Pacemaker activity in urethral interstitial cells is not dependent on capacitative calcium entry.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the properties and role of capacitative Ca(2+) entry (CCE) in interstitial cells (IC) isolated from the rabbit urethra. Ca(2+) entry in IC was larger in cells with depleted intracellular Ca(2+) stores compared with controls, consistent with influx via a CCE pathway. The nonselective Ca(2+) entry blockers Gd(3+) (10 microM), La(3+) (10 microM), and Ni(2+) (100 microM) reduced CCE by 67% (n = 14), 65% (n = 11), and 55% (n = 9), respectively. These agents did not inhibit Ca(2+) entry when stores were not depleted. Conversely, CCE in IC was resistant to SKF-96365 (10 microM), wortmannin (10 microM), and nifedipine (1 microM). Spontaneous transient inward currents were recorded from IC voltage-clamped at -60 mV. These events were not significantly affected by Gd(3+) (10 microM) or La(3+) (10 microM) and were only slightly decreased in amplitude by 100 microM Ni(2+). The results from this study demonstrate that freshly dispersed IC from the rabbit urethra possess a CCE pathway. However, influx via this pathway does not appear to contribute to spontaneous activity in these cells.