In rat pinealocytes, an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration (
[Ca2+](i)) due to Ca2+ influx in response to norepinephrine (NE) is a
well recognized event involved in regulating several metabolic functio
ns. Since NE also stimulates the metabolism of phosphatidyl inositols
in rat pineal gland, it is conceivable that Ca2+ release from intracel
lular stores also contributes to the NE-induced increase in [Ca2+](i).
In this communication, we report that in rat pinealocytes loaded with
fura-2, a Ca2+ indicator, NE induced a transient increase in [Ca2+](i
) that preceded the known Ca2+ influx. This novel [Ca2+](i) response t
o NE was detected in pinealocytes bathed with Ca2+-free saline and pre
vented by TMB-8, a blocker of Ca2+ release from intracellular stores,
supporting the notion that the transient NE-induced Ca2+ response was
due to Ca2+ release from intracellular stores. In addition, after an e
xtended exposure to NE a new addition of this neurotransmitter did not
elicit the phasic Ca2+ response, and application of increasing amount
s of NE induced a Ca2+ response that was progressively smaller, sugges
ting desensitization. Thus, NE is proposed to increase [Ca2+](i) in ra
t pinealocytes by two mechanisms: (1) phasic release from intracellula
r stores and (2) tonic influx through a mechanism activated by larger
applications of NE than required to evoke the phasic release.