Calcium spikes in cultured human reticular cells from peritoneal exudates

Intracellular recordings of cultured human peritoneal exudate cells reveal that cells within the culture exhibit an active depolarizing response to injected currents which can reach positive potentials and resemble slow spikes. The cells exhibiting spikes are similar to the reticular cells described by Stuart and Davidson (1971a,b) in that they are esterase(+), acid phosphatase(+), and internalize colloidal carbon but not opsonized red blood cells. The active depolarizing response is unaffected by either decreasing the external sodium concentration or by adding tetrodotoxin (3 X 10(-5) M), whereas increasing the external calcium concentration increases both the spike amplitude and rate of rise, and the addition of cobalt (3 mM) blocks the response. Addition of barium increases the duration and amplitude of the spikes but reduces the afterhyperpolarization. The data indicate that cultured human reticular cells from the peritoneal cavity exhibit a calcium spike.