Spatial and dynamic changes in intracellular Ca2+ measured by confocal laser-scanning microscopy in bullfrog sympathetic ganglion cells.

Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to record spatial and dynamic changes in the intracellular Ca2+ [(Ca2+]i) of bullfrog sympathetic ganglion cells in excised tissue or in culture. A CLSM utilizing Ar ion laser (488 nm) and recording fluo-3 fluorescence yielded the sliced image of ganglion cells, while conventional epifluorescence microscopy provided the cell image of a convex structure. A high K+ (50 mM) solution, caffeine (3-10 mM) and electrical stimulation (10-20 Hz, 0.5-10 s) caused a homogeneous increase in fluo-3 fluorescence with or without regional differences, possibly due to intracellular organelles and other constituents. Scanning a single horizontal line across the cytoplasm with He-Cd laser (325 nm) and recording indo-1 fluorescence demonstrated that the rate of rise in [Ca2+]i following action potentials depends on the distance from the cell membrane and on the cytoplasmic constituents, showing an inward spread of 'Ca(2+)-wave' at variable speeds of 17-219 microns/s. These results suggest that heterogeneity of the cytoplasmic structures and constituents affects dynamic and spatial changes of [Ca2+]i in response to stimuli in neurones. Such heterogenic changes in [Ca2+]i would better be studied by CLSM.