Antiphase calcium oscillations in astrocytes via inositol (1,4,5)-triphosphate regeneration.

In cultured astrocytes, antiphase oscillations in the intracellular free calcium concentrations have been observed in nearest neighbor cells that are coupled through gap junctions. A mathematical model is used to investigate physiologic conditions under which diffusion of the second messenger inositol (1, 4, 5)-triphosphate (IP3) through gap junctions can facilitate synchronized antiphase calcium oscillations. Our model predicts antiphase oscillations in both calcium and IP3 concentrations if a) the gap junction permeability is within a window of values and 2) IP3 is regenerated in the astrocytes via Phospholipids-C$\delta $. This result sheds new light on the current dispute on the mechanism of intercellular calcium wave propagation since it provides additional evidence for a partially regenerative mechanism as the model excludes synchrony in the absence of IP3 regeneration.