Release into cytoplasm

Intracellular Ca2+-levels are controlled by release into, and removal from, the cytoplasm (Fig. 1). Ca2+-pumps in the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum (ER the Ca2+-store in a cell) keep cytoplasmic Ca2+-levels low (about 0.1 pmol/L in resting cells) and generate a 10,000-fold concentration gradient across membranes (because extracellular Ca2+ is in the millimolar range). Upon stimulation, Ca2+ enters the cytosol of the cell via Ca2+-channels (plasma membrane) or via Ca2+-channels in the ER, leading to the activation of a great variety of Ca2+-dependent processes in the cell. 

Figure 48-12. Schematic illustration of some aspects of the role of the osteoclast in bone resorption. Lysosomal enzymes and hydrogen ions are released into the confined microenvironment created by the attachment between bone matrix and the peripheral clear zone of the osteoclast. The acidification of this confined space facilitates the dissolution of calcium phosphate from bone and is the optimal pH for the activity of lysosomal hydrolases. Bone matrix is thus removed, and the products of bone resorption are taken up into the cytoplasm of the osteoclast, probably digested further, and transferred into capillaries. The chemical equation shown in the figure refers to the action of carbonic anhydrase II, described in the text. (Reproduced, with permission, from Jun-queira LC, Carneiro J BasicHistology. Text Atlas, 10th ed. McGraw-Hill, 2003.)...

Figure 6.7. Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis by phospholipase C. Occupancy of receptors (R) results in exchange of bound GDP for GTP on the a-subunit of a het-erotrimeric G-protein. The a-subunit then dissociates from the fi- and y-subunits and activates phospholipase (PLC). This enzyme is calcium dependent and, upon activation, can hydrolyse phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). The products of this hydrolysis are inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins 1,4,5-P3), which is released into the cytoplasm, and diacylglycerol (DAG), which remains in the membrane. The DAG is an activator of protein kinase C, which moves from the cytoplasm to the membrane, where it forms a quaternary complex with DAG and Ca2+. 

The idea that stimulated inositide metabolism was involved in increases in cytoplasmic Ca2+ was first proposed by Bob Michell (1975). To date, over 20 different inositol phosphates can be isolated from stimulated cells, but so far only one of these molecules can be ascribed a definite function Ins 1,4,5-P3, which is released into the cytoplasm following PLC hydrolysis of PIP2, liberates Ca2+ from intracellular stores. A role for Ins 1,3,4,5-P4in opening a Ca2+ gate , thus allowing the influx of Ca2+ from the external... 

ATP is used not only to power muscle contraction, but also to re-establish the resting state of the cell. At the end of the contraction cycle, calcium must be transported back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum, a process which is ATP driven by an active pump mechanism. Additionally, an active sodium-potassium ATPase pump is required to reset the membrane potential by extruding sodium from the sarcoplasm after each wave of depolarization. When cytoplasmic Ca2- falls, tropomyosin takes up its original position on the actin and prevents myosin binding and the muscle relaxes. Once back in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, calcium binds with a protein called calsequestrin, where it remains until the muscle is again stimulated by a neural impulse leading to calcium release into the cytosol and the cycle repeats. 

During the last ten years, it has become apparent that calcium-dependent papain-like peptidases called calpains (EC 3.4.22.17) represent an important intracellular nonlysosomal enzyme system [35][36], These enzymes show limited proteolytic activity at neutral pH and are present in virtually every eukaryotic cell type. They have been found to function in specific proteolytic events that alter intracellular metabolism and structure, rather than in general turnover of intracellular proteins. Calpains are composed of two nonidentical subunits, each of which contains functional calcium-binding sites. Two types of calpains, i.e., /i-calpain and m-calpain (formerly calpain I and calpain II, respectively), have been identified that differ in their Ca2+ requirement for activation. The activity of calpains is regulated by intracellular Ca2+ levels. At elevated cytoplasmic calcium concentrations, the precursor procal-pain associates with the inner surface of the cell membrane. This interaction seems to trigger autoproteolysis of procalpain, and active calpain is released into the cytoplasm [37]. 

The last enzyme in the pathway, g/ucose 6-phosphatase, occurs in the liver, but not in muscle. It is located in the interior of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Specific transporters allow glucose 6-phosphate to enter the ER and allow the glucose formed there to return to the cytoplasm. From there, it is ultimately released into the blood. 

The Ca " ATPase shown also belongs to the P type. In muscle, its task is to pump the Ca " released into the cytoplasm to trigger muscle contraction back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR see p. 334). The molecule (1) consists of a single peptide chain that is folded into various domains. In the transmembrane part, which is formed by numerous a-helices, there are binding sites for two Ca " ions (blue) ATP is bound to the cytoplasmic N domain (green). 

Prelytic DNA fragmentation Release of various factor (e.g., cytochrome C) into cytoplasm by mitochondria Caspase cascade is activated Alterations in membrane asymmetry... 

During apoptosis, the mitochondrial permeability is altered and apoptosis-specific protease activators are released from this organelle. The discontinuity of the outer mitochondrial membrane results in the release of cytochrome C to the cytosol followed by subsequent depolarization of the inner mitochondrial membrane (C5, PI). The release of cytochrome C further promotes activation of cas-pases, which are important molecules for initiating apoptosis (T6). Apoptosis inducing factor (AIF), another molecule released into the cytoplasm, has proteolytic activity and is by itself sufficient to induce apoptosis. 

During the process of apoptosis, several mitochondrial proteins are released into the cytoplasm, including AIF and cytochrome C for the activation of proteases (L4). AIF, a tlavoprotein, can induce apoptotic morphological changes of the nucleus in a caspase-independent manner (M7, S8). Cytochrome C probably executes apoptosis by interaction with cytoplasmic protein Apaf-1 and direct activation of caspases (L2). Since the release of AIF and cytochrome C is regulated by the proteins of the Bcl-2 family, Bcl-2 can inhibit apoptosis by retention of cytochrome C in the mitochondria (T6). 

The immunocytochemical staining of cytochrome C offers another alternative since, upon exposure to apoptotic stimuli, cytochrome C is rapidly released into the cytosol, an event that may be required for the completion of apoptosis in some systems (L2). The effect of cytosolic cytochrome C is thought to be the activation of caspases. The immunocytochemical staining of cytochrome C localized in mitochondria in healthy cells or diffused in the cell cytoplasm with monoclonal antibody (Promega) after induction of apoptosis, as detected by fluorescence microscopy, can be used for monitoring apoptosis (L2, M7, S8, T6). It is also a simple, rapid, specific mefhod for quanfifafive assessment of apoptotic cells. 

The norepinephrine transporter (NET) and the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT) are presynaptic components of the sympathetic neurons. NET is a Na+ /Cl -dependent transport protein and responsible for the neurotransmitter uptake from the synaptic cleft into the cytoplasm of the neurons. This transport process, called uptake-1, reduces the amount and, thus, the effect of NE released into the synaptic cleft. NE is stored in the cytoplasm of the neurons in specialized vesicles by the H+-dependent transport protein VMAT. Two isoforms VMAT1 and VMAT2, are known. VMAT is localized in the vesicle membranes, and the vesicular storage protects NE from metabolism by monoamine oxidase (MAO), which is localized on the surface membrane of the mitochondria. Vice versa, nerve depolarisation causes NE release from the vesicles into the synaptic cleft by Ca+-mediated exocytose (Fig. 12) [79,132-136],... 

One kind of active transport, namely group translocation, occurs in bacteria (for reviews, see Refs. 218-223), and some workers consider that this also takes place in yeasts (see, for example, Refs. 224 and 225) by this means, uptake of a sugar is directly coupled to its phosphorylation, and the sugar is released into the cytoplasm as a phosphate. 

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