Evidence for light-induced release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores in bee photoreceptors

In the drone retina light elicits an increase in the extracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca]o). After withdrawal of extracellular Ca2+ and addition of 1 mM EGTA (ethyleneglycol-bis (beta-aminoethyl ether) N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid) a short light flash still caused an increase in [Ca]o as measured with Ca2(+)-sensitive microelectrodes. This increase vanished after a few flashes. When [Ca]o was reduced to 10(-5) M Ca2+ (no EGTA) the rise in Cao disappeared after several light flashes. Subsequent stimulation with a dim steady light produced a decrease in [Ca]o and caused a recovery of the increase in [Ca]o elicited by a test flash. The results show that bee photoreceptors have a light-depletable intracellular Ca2+ store which can be reloaded by dim continuous lights.