Role of local Ca2+ domains in activation of Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release in crayfish muscle fibers

Simultaneous measurements were made of crayfish muscle Ca2+ currents (ICa) and the intracellular Ca2+ transients they elicit due to Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release (CICR) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]) elevations produced by Ca2+ entry via ICa were much more effective in triggering CICR than were ongoing release or homogeneous elevations of Ca2+ produced by photolysis of caged Ca2+. This suggests that [Ca2+] gradients exist when Ca2+ is elevated by ICa and that, during Ca2+ entry, [Ca2+] at the activation site of the release channels must be much greater than spatially averaged [Ca2+] reported by the indicator. Analysis of voltage dependencies of ICa inactivation and SR Ca2+ release suggest that both Ca(2+)-dependent processes are controlled by ICa via the nearest T tubule Ca2+ channel rather than by total ICa entry. The contribution of SR Ca2+ release to ICa inactivation studied with a two-pulse protocol was less than predicted if Ca2+ derived from SR Ca2+ release and from T tubule Ca2+ channels have equal access to the Ca2+ binding site controlling ICa inactivation. These results can be explained in terms of a scheme where sites for release activation and ICa inactivation are located in the same junctional gap subdomain, closer to the cytoplasmic mouth of the T tubule Ca2+ channel than to the cytoplasmic mouth of the SR Ca2+ release channels. Such a scheme could provide an explanation for the graded nature and selective control of CICR in this preparation as well as in vertebrate cardiac muscle.