NERVE GROWTH FACTOR-INDUCED INCREASE IN CALCIUM-UPTAKE BY PC12 CELLS

Treatment of PC12 cells with nerve growth factor (NGF) produces a rapid and transient increase in calcium uptake into the cells. The increased uptake is maximal after 5 minutes of NGF treatment, but after 15 minutes of NGF treatment, no such increase can be observed. The effect of NGF is partially inhibited by blockers of L-type calcium channels. K-252a, an alkaloid-like kinase inhibitor that usually is found to inhibit the actions of NGF on PC12 cells, produces an increase in calcium uptake similar to, but smaller than, that seen with NGF. NGF had no effect on calcium release under these conditions.