Calcium Entry Stimulated by Swelling of Madin-Darby Canine Kidney Cells

Cell swelling in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells by reduction of extracellular osmolarity (omission of 70 ad 150 mmol/l mannitol, respectively) leads to the activation of anion of channels and Ca2+ sensitive K+ channels. The K+ channel activation leads to an initial transient hyperpolarization of the cell membrane potential (PD) followed by a sustained depolarization due to activation of anion channels. The present study elucidates the role of intracellular calcium (Ca2+i) in regulatory cell volume decrease (RVD) of MDCK cells. While reduction of extracellular osmolarity by omitting 70 mmol/l mannitol did not lead to a detectable change in Ca2+i, severe cell swelling by omitting 150 mmol/l mannitol led to a transient rise in Ca2+i. PD changes, on the other hand, were not different under either condition. In addition, the response of PD to cell swelling was not altered by treatment of the cells with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate diester, pertussis toxin or cholera toxin. In the nominal absence of extracellular Ca2+, reduction of extracellular osmolarity did not lead to an increase in Ca2+i and no initial transient hyperpolarization was observed, whereas addition of 10 mumol/l ATP still led to a significant hyperpolarization. Omission of extracellular Ca2+ was followed by a strong decrease in cell membrane resistance (Rm) due to activation of a depolarizing cation conductance. Subsequent readdition of Ca2+ caused a marked increase in Ca2+i due to Ca2+ influx. This Ca2+ entry was further stimulated by cell swelling. RVD was significantly blunted in the absence of extracellular Ca2+. The results suggest that cell swelling stimulates a Ca2+-permeable pathway in the cell membrane favoring Ca2+ entry into the cell with subsequent activation of Ca2+-sensitive K+ channels.