Ca2+ uptake by cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum at low temperature in rat and ground squirrel. Liu, Bin, Darrell D. Belke, and Lawrence C. H. Wang. Depts. of Pharmacology and Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2E9 Alberta, Canada
APStracts 3:0310R, 1996.
The Ca2+ uptake by isolated cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was compared between Richardson's ground squirrels and rats at 37, 25, 15, and 5oC. The rate of SR Ca2+ uptake in ground squirrels was significantly higher than in rats over the temperature range. This marked species difference was observed over a [Ca2+] range from 0.1 to 10 [mu]M. The Arrhenius plot for Ca2+ uptake was linear for ground squirrels between 37 and 5oC but showed a depression from linearity for rats at 5oC. This temperature sensitivity was also reflected in rat SR Ca2+-ATPase activity. Analysis of 3H-ryanodine binding in SR suggests that more Ca2+ release channels are in an open state at low temperatures in rats than in ground squirrels. Together, these results suggest that species differences in the response of SR to low temperature may account for the rise in [Ca2+]i in cold-sensitive species, and may be responsible, at least in part, for the inability of cold-sensitive hearts to function at low temperature.

Received 27 February 1996; accepted in final form 22 July 1996.
APS Manuscript Number R116-6.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Regulatory Integrative
Comp. Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 29 August 1996