The Effect of Oxytocin on Intracellular Ca2+ Release in Cardiac Cells
Anatoliy Shmygol1, Sanaa H S H Alameri2, Khadeijah Y K M Almemari2
1Department of Physiology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. a.shmygol@uaeu.ac.ae.
Abstract:
Ca2+ signaling is vital for the proper functioning of all cells, including cells of the cardiovascular system. Membrane receptors for many hormones trigger intracellular Ca2+ signaling via the activation of phospholipase C and production of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3). Several research groups have demonstrated the expression of oxytocin (OXT) and oxytocin receptors (OXTR) in the heart and suggested a cardioprotective role of OXT against several pathological conditions. Here we describe the protocol for measuring the effects of oxytocin on intracellular Ca2+ dynamics in newborn rat cardiac myocytes and cardiac fibroblasts maintained in short-term culture.
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