Spatio-temporal PLC activation in parallel with intracellular Ca2+ wave propagation in mechanically stimulated single MDCK cells

Intracellular Ca2+ transients are evoked either by the opening of Ca2+ channels on the plasma membrane or by phospholipase C (PLC) activation resulting in IP3 production. Ca2+ wave propagation is known to occur in mechanically stimulated cells; however, it remains uncertain whether and how PLC activation is involved in intracellular Ca2+ wave propagation in mechanically stimulated cells. To answer these questions, it is indispensable to clarify the spatio-temporal relations between intracellular Ca2+ wave propagation and PLC activation. Thus, we visualized both cytosolic Ca2+ and PLC activation using a real-time dual-imaging system in individual Mardin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells. This system allowed us to simultaneously observe intracellular Ca2+ wave propagation and PLC activation in a spatio-temporal manner in a single mechanically stimulated MDCK cell. The results showed that PLC was activated not only in the mechanically stimulated region but also in other subcellular regions in parallel with intracellular Ca2+ wave propagation. These results support a model in which PLC is involved in Ca2+ signaling amplification in mechanically stimulated cells.