Differing significance of Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange in the regulation of cytosolic Ca2+ in rat exocrine gland acini and cardiac myocytes.

In order to compare the importance of Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange in the regulation of cytosolic Ca2+ concentration (Ca2+i), acini obtained from rat pancreas and submandibular glands as well as cardiac myocytes were loaded with Na+ by inhibition of Na(+)-K+ ATPase activity then loaded with fura-2. In the exocrine tissues, incubation in K(+)-free buffer or with ouabain had no substantial effect on resting Ca2+i or on the changes in Ca2+i following exposure to carbachol as compared with acini incubated under control conditions. In contrast, rat cardiac myocytes, treated identically, showed marked changes in Ca2+i under resting and stimulated conditions as compared with controls. We conclude that the Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange systems of rat pancreatic and submandibular gland acini contribute little to the overall regulation of Ca2+i at rest during cholinergic stimulation.