The sarcoplasmic reticulum of smooth muscle fibers.

The ability of the sarcoplasmic (endoplasmic) reticulum (SR, ER) of smooth muscle cells to accumulate Ca was demonstrated by measuring the uptake of 45Ca in fibers which were chemically skinned with saponin, and by electron cytochemistry of the accumulated Ca. The Ca uptake was dependent on ATP and it was stimulated by oxalate, as it is the case in SR of striated muscle. Electron microscopy of the skinned smooth muscle preparations revealed the presence of calcium oxalate deposits in the reticulum. The SR vesicles were isolated from several smooth muscles. The purification was carried out by taking advantage of the density increase of the SR vesicles after loading with calcium in the presence of oxalate. Among the muscles investigated the smooth muscle of the pig stomach was found to be the most suitable and it was selected for further biochemical and morphological characterization of the SR vesicles. These vesicles, which contain calcium oxalate crystals, were able to accumulate an additional amount of Ca. The Ca uptake was supported by several energy yielding substrates. Their order of potency was ATP greater than dATP congruent to UTP greater than ITP greater than GTP congruent to CTP. The rate of Ca uptake was two orders of magnitude slower than that in SR of skeletal muscle. The measurement of the level of phosphorylated Ca transport intermediate showed that this difference is due to smaller number of calcium transport sites per vesicle. The distribution of intramembrane particles in freeze-fractured specimens is in agreement with this conclusion.