[Calcium release from the rat liver mitochondria during collapse of the membrane potential].

Ca(2+)-release from rat liver mitochondria after protonophore (carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, CCCP)-induced membrane depolarisation is studied. It is shown that the release of calcium is accompanied by an increase of the inner mitochondrial membrane permeability as the result of the opening of permeability transition pore (PTP). Calcium is released from mitochondria through the uniporter working in reverse mode and also by PTP mechanism which accounts for ruthenium red (RR)-insensitive component of total. Ca(2+)-release. Unlike Ca2+, the strontium release from the mitochondria is completely sensitive to RR, specific uniporter blocker, which shows the absence of rapid Sr(2+)-efflux mechanisms other than uniporter of bivalent cations. The data obtained also give an evidence that the lifetime of the open state of the pore is limited, and barrier properties of the mitochondrial membrane are restored after the closure of the pore.