Two distinct ATP receptors activate calcium entry and internal calcium release in bovine chromaffin cells.

ATP, an established neurotransmitter, causes elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ and catecholamine secretion when applied to chromaffin cells in the intact adrenal gland. The ATP-induced rise in Ca2+ is due both to release from internal stores and to entry across the plasma membrane. The latter source of Ca2+ causes secretion; the primary role of Ca2+ released from internal stores remains undetermined. In this article, we have studied the nucleotide specificity for activating the two types of Ca2+ increases. The agonist potency order for the increase in fluorescence from fura-2-loaded chromaffin cells due to release of Ca2+ from internal stores is ATP = UTP > ADP > 2-methylthio-ATP, alpha, beta-methylene ATP, identifying the receptor as a P2u purinoceptor. The potency order for secretion is 2-methylthio-ATP > ATP > alpha, beta-methylene ATP, ADP, UTP, placing the receptor in the P2Y subtype. Thus, two distinct receptors are responsible for Ca2+ release and secretion. Agonists were more effective in the absence of extracellular Mg2+, suggesting that ATP uncomplexed with divalent cations binds preferentially to both receptors. The low response of both receptors to ADP distinguishes them from the ATP receptor on these cells that inhibits voltage-dependent Ca2+ current and secretion.