Abstract
A regulatory role for intracellular free calcium has been suggested in cell division1 and intercellular communication via gap junctions2,3. Previous measurements of cytoplasmic free Ca2+ during cell division and uncoupling have been made with the Ca2+-sensitive photoprotein aequorin4,5. We now report experiments using Ca2+-sensitive microelectrodes to monitor free Ca2+ in the cells and intercellular fluid of early embryos of the amphibian Xenopus laevis. In addition to measuring basal levels, we have looked for changes in free Ca2+ during cell division and during electrical uncoupling of the normally coupled embryonic cells, induced by acidification of the intracellular medium5–7.
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Rink, T., Tsien, R. & Warner, A. Free calcium in Xenopus embryos measured with ion-selective microelectrodes. Nature 283, 658–660 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/283658a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/283658a0
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