Effect of membrane potential on cytosolic calcium of bovine aortic endothelial cells.

The effect of bradykinin on membrane potential of cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) was estimated by measuring the uptake of the lipophilic cation, tetra[3H]phenylphosphonium ([3H]TPP+). Uptake of [3H]TPP+ was found to be 1) a function of extracellular K+ concentration, 2) sensitive to valinomycin, and 3) decreased by the K+ channel inhibitor, Ba2+, suggesting that the uptake of [3H]TPP+ responds to changes in membrane potential of the BAEC. Bradykinin (50 nM) produced an increase in [3H]TPP+ uptake in low K+ buffer consistent with a bradykinin-induced membrane hyperpolarization. The effect of membrane depolarization with high K+ buffer on the bradykinin-stimulated changes in cytosolic Ca2+ was determined using the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator, fura-2. The results of these experiments demonstrated that both basal cytosolic Ca2+ and bradykinin-stimulated release of Ca2+ from internal stores were not affected by membrane depolarization. However, bradykinin-stimulated influx of Ca2+ from the extracellular space decreased with membrane depolarization in a manner consistent with the movement of Ca2+ through a channel.