ATP evokes calcium transients in single pulmonary artery endothelial cell in primary cultures.

Effects of ATP on cytosolic free calcium ([Ca2+]i) in single porcine pulmonary artery endothelial cell were studied. Using a dual-wavelength excitation microflurometry, it was found that ATP evoked a rapid transient in [Ca2+]i which was then followed by a maintained elevation of [Ca2+]i. The removal of extracellular Ca2+ abolished the maintained plateform, but exerted no obvious effect on the initial-transient. These results suggest that ATP stimulates both calcium release from intracellular calcium pool(s) and calcium influx across the plasma membrane from extracellular space.