# ELECTRIC STUDIES OF EXCITATION, SECRETION & CONTRACTION

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 1992 · $190,698

## Abstract

The physiologic activity of many cells, including muscle, neurons and
several secretory cells, is strongly influenced by cytoplasmic Ca.  To
regulate Ca, cells possess intracellular organelles that sequester and
release Ca, and Ca transport proteins in the cell membrane, that extrude Ca
or allow Ca to enter.  This grant has three aims.  The first is to explore
the mechanism of Ca release from internal stores of a striated muscle (the
myotomal lamellae of the chordate Amphioxus) and a secretory cell (the rat
peritoneal mast cell).  Cytoplasmic Ca will be monitored by a fluorescent
Ca indicator, using fluorescence microscopy, microfluorimetry and patch
voltage clamp.  The preparations were chosen because they offer uniquely
favorable conditions for the experiments proposed; the insights gained are
almost certain to apply also to mammalian muscle and other secretory
cells.  The second aim is to characterize Ca channels, which regulate Ca
entry into muscle, Ca channels will be studied in adult and embryonic
skeletal muscle, and in oocytes that have inserted muscle-type Ca channels
into their cell membranes under direction of previously injected mRNA.
Special attention will be given to (a) the mechanism of ion selectivity,
which is of crucial significance for a transport protein with the task of
selectively transporting an ion present at low concentration, and (b) the
interaction of Ca channels with dihydropyridines, a clinically used Ca
antagonist that is regarded as a specific, high-affinity marker for Ca
channels and has become fundamental for biochemical studies of Ca
channels.  A third aim is to test whether Ca-influx (e.g. through an
antigen-activated Ca channel) contributes to the increase in cytoplasmic Ca
in mast cells.  If an influx-mediated component is found, attempts will be
made to record antigen-activated Ca currents.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3154961
- **Project number:** 5R01AR017803-19
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **SAM.gov UEI:** HD1WMN6945W6
- **Principal Investigator:** BERTIL HILLE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1992
- **Award amount:** $190,698
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1977-09-01 → 1996-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3154961

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3154961, ELECTRIC STUDIES OF EXCITATION, SECRETION & CONTRACTION (5R01AR017803-19). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3154961. Licensed CC0.

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