Spatial localization of the stimulus-induced rise in cytosolic Ca2+ in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells. Distinct nicotinic and muscarinic patterns.

The spatial distribution of the intracellular free Ca2+ (Ca2+i) rise elicited by different stimuli in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells was examined in single fura-2-loaded cells. In response to the potent secretagogues nicotine and high K+, Ca2+i was initially localized exclusively to the entire subplasmalemmal area of the cell. In response to the ineffective secretagogues, methacholine and muscarine, the rise in Ca2+i originated only in one pole of the cell and even at the peak of the response Ca2+ was still generally restricted to this same area of the cell. These results suggest that the triggering of exocytosis from these cells requires a specific spatial distribution of Ca2+i.