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The Journal of Experimental Biology 204, 3727-3736 (2001)
© 2001 The Company of Biologists Limited

Localisation of intracellular calcium stores in the striated muscles of the jellyfish Polyorchis penicillatus: possible involvement in excitation–contraction coupling

Y.-C. James Lin and Andrew N. Spencer*

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E9 and Bamfield Marine Station, Bamfield, British Columbia, Canada V1R 1B

*Author for correspondence (e-mail: aspencer{at}bms.bc.ca)

Accepted July 31, 2001

When jellyfish striated muscles were stimulated directly, the amplitude of contractile tension increased as the stimulation frequency increased. Application of 10 mmol l–1 caffeine reduced the amplitude of contractile tension and abolished this facilitatory relationship, indicating that calcium stores participate in excitation–contraction coupling. Calcium stores were identified ultrastructurally using enzymatic histochemistry to localize CaATPases, and potassium dichromate to precipitate calcium. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy was used to verify the presence of calcium in precipitates. Both CaATPase and calcium were localised in membrane-bound vesicles beneath the sarcolemma. We concluded that sub-sarcolemmal vesicles could act as calcium stores and participate in excitation–contraction coupling.

Key words: calcium stores, excitation–contraction coupling, jellyfish, Polyorchis penicillatus, caffeine, CaATPase.




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© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2001