Carbon tetrachloride-induced release of calcium from isolated hepatocytes

Studies have shown that CCl4 administration to rats inhibits endoplasmic reticulum calcium pump activity and reduces the amount of calcium associated with subsequently isolated microsomal subcellular fractions. This report confirms that exposure of isolated hepatocytes to CCl4 rapidly produces these effects in isolated parenchymal cells and demonstrates that when isolated hepatocytes are exposed to CCl4, calcium is rapidly released from cells. This release can be detected with a calcium ion-selective electrode when cells are incubated in a medium with low extracellular calcium. Calcium released from an intracellular pool(s) may initiate hepatotoxic changes in liver.