Influence of Pentachlorophenol on Light Emission from Single Barnacle Muscle Fibers Preloaded with Aequorin

Experiments show that the resting ouabain-insensitive sodium efflux in giant fibers from the barnacle Balanus nubilus is stimulated by external application of pentachlorophenol (PCP). This work has now been extended to include a study of muscle fibers preloaded with the Ca2+indicator aequorin to det...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental health perspectives 1993-12, Vol.101 (7), p.622-625
Main Authors: Bittar, E. Edward, Wu, Jin-ru
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aequorin
Animals
Atoms
Balanus nubilus
Bathing
Brief Reports
Calcium
Calcium - pharmacology
Chlorine
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Environmental agencies
Light emission
Luminescent Measurements
Marine
Mops
Muscle fibers
Muscles - drug effects
Osmolar Concentration
Pentachlorophenol - pharmacology
Phenols
Sodium
Thoracica
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Summary:Experiments show that the resting ouabain-insensitive sodium efflux in giant fibers from the barnacle Balanus nubilus is stimulated by external application of pentachlorophenol (PCP). This work has now been extended to include a study of muscle fibers preloaded with the Ca2+indicator aequorin to determine whether PCP is able to increase light emission; and whether its potency depends on the number of chlorine atoms and external pH. The results obtained are as follows: 1) PCP causes a dose-dependent, multiphasic rise in light emission; the threshold concentration in fibers not poisoned with ouabain was in the low micromolar range. 2) The efficacy of PCP is considerably greater than that of less-chlorinated phenols and phenol. 3) The response to PCP is a sigmoidal function of external pH both in unpoisoned and ouabain-poisoned fibers. Reducing external pH potentiates its efficacy. 4) The response to PCP depends on the external Ca2+concentration, and the requirement for Ca2+is usually absolute.
ISSN:0091-6765
1552-9924
DOI:10.1289/ehp.93101622