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Updated: Aug 3, 2026
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Mechanical Stimulation-induced Calcium Wave Propagation in Cell Monolayers: The Example of Bovine Corneal Endothelial Cells
Published on: July 16, 2013
Elementary [Ca2+]i signals generated by electroporation functionally mimic those evoked by hormonal stimulation
F Bobanović1, M D Bootman, M J Berridge
1Laboratory of Molecular Signalling, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, England, UK.
Summary
Electroporation can mimic cellular calcium signals, like calcium (Ca2+) puffs, which are crucial for cell communication. Modulating electroporation parameters can trigger regenerative Ca2+ waves, offering new insights into cellular signaling pathways.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Global Ca2+ waves and oscillations depend on the coordinated activation of elementary Ca2+ signals, such as Ca2+ puffs.
- Previous research suggests that elevated frequency or amplitude of hormone-evoked Ca2+ signals are required for Ca2+ wave initiation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether electroporation can be used to generate elementary Ca2+ signals (Ca2+ puffs) in HeLa cells.
- To determine if these electroporation-induced Ca2+ puffs can initiate global Ca2+ signals and regenerative waves.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an electroporation device to reversibly permeabilize HeLa cell plasma membranes, allowing controlled Ca2+ influx.
- Applied low-intensity (100-500 V/cm, 50-100 micros) and high-intensity (>500 V/cm) electroporative pulses.
- Monitored Ca2+ signals and wave propagation, including caffeine-sensitive responses.
Main Results:
- Low-intensity electroporation triggered localized Ca2+ signals resembling hormone-evoked Ca2+ puffs, without significant Ca2+ influx.
- Increasing the frequency of low-intensity pulses or the intensity of a single pulse induced regenerative Ca2+ waves.
- Electroporation-induced Ca2+ puffs were identified as originating from intracellular Ca2+ release channels.
Conclusions:
- Electroporation can effectively mimic hormone-evoked elementary Ca2+ signaling events (Ca2+ puffs).
- Sufficiently strong or frequent electroporation-induced Ca2+ puffs can activate global Ca2+ signals and trigger regenerative Ca2+ waves.
- This technique provides a novel tool to study the mechanisms underlying Ca2+ wave generation and cellular excitability.
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