We show that focused laser irradiation can generate Ca2+ waves in differentiated PC12 cells, using highly penetrating and locally acting near-infrared femtosecond pulsed laser light. Similar to photolytic uncaging experiments, intracellular Ca2+ concentrations could be elevated to produce a whole cell Ca2+ rise, but without the requirement for caged Ca2+. Irradiation of subcellular volumes in the soma or in PC12 neurites generated a relatively slow calcium rise (speed ∼20 μm/s). Less frequently, a fast calcium rise (speed >1200 μm/s) was observed, consistent with laser-induced membrane depolarization. The probability of Ca2+ generation increased with laser power and was found to be the same in excitable (PC12) and non-excitable (HeLa) cells.
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Smith et al. (2005) studied this question.
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