The formation of intravesicular calcium phosphate deposits in microsomes of smooth muscle

Summary The calcium uptake in the microsomial fraction isolated from the smooth muscle of the antrum of the pig stomach is stimulated by phosphate. The microsomial vesicles which are loaded with calcium phosphate can be purified by differential centrifugation. A purification of 36 times in terms of calcium content was reached. Electron microscopy of the freshly prepared material revealed calcium phosphate deposits in the form of needles of crystalline calcium phosphate. This structure differs from that of the deposits which appear in the fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum of skeletal muscle. Their morphology is that of non-crystalline calcium phosphate. However, on standing these deposits convert slowly into crystalline calcium phosphate. This difference reflects different kinetics of crystallization of the precipitates in the two preparations. After negative staining of the calcium phosphate loaded microsomes of skeletal and of smooth muscle, only few deposits are preserved because a release of calcium occurs as a consequence of the action of the stain and also of the dilution and warming up of the suspension. Smooth muscle microsomes partially purified by loading with calcium phosphate were studied by freeze etching and rotary replication. Membrane fragments displaying subunit intramembrane particles similar to those observed in sarcoplasmic reticulum of skeletal muscle could be identified. However, in the smooth muscle microsomes the intramembrane particles were much less densely packed. Part of these particles could correspond to calcium transport sites.