Abstract

We report here that brief depolarizations such as action potentials trigger exocytosis in thin mouse adrenal slices. The secretory rates obtained in membrane capacitance recordings from chromaffin cells in slices are faster than those observed in isolated cells. Fast exocytosis in slices is attributable to the rapid release of a small pool of vesicles. The pool recovers from depletion with a time constant of 10 sec. Recruitment of the rapidly released vesicles is strongly hindered by the fast Ca²⁺ chelator BAPTA and much less by the slower chelator EGTA. We suggest that these vesicles are located in close proximity to Ca²⁺ channels. Spatial coupling of Ca²⁺ entry and exocytosis may be sensitive to cell isolation and culture.