Altered Ca2+ homeostasis and functional correlates in hepatocytes and adipocytes in endotoxemia and sepsis.
 Decreased cytosolic [Ca2+] and impaired Ca2+ release in response to an IP3 challenge are among perturbations in hepatocyte Ca2+ homeostasis associated with endotoxemia and sepsis.
 These changes are consistent with the accompanying alterations in appropriate physiologic functions, e.g., activation of glycogen phosphorylase and gluconeogenesis, mediated by [Ca2+]c and defective phosphorylation of relevant enzymes.
 Attenuation of IP3 binding to the subcellular fractions that are imputed to be targets of IP3 and a decrease in the size of the IP3-sensitive pool of releasable Ca2+ are underlying components of the mechanism of the reduced Ca2+ release upon IP3 stimulation and its metabolic sequelae.
 ET treatment leads to a significant increase in Ca2+ associated with the cell surface compartment of adipocytes, a reduction in 45Ca2+ uptake by endoplasmic reticulum and higher cytosolic [Ca2+] under basal conditions and upon ACTH stimulation than that observed in cells of control rats.
 The reduced 45Ca2+ uptake is also manifest in adipocytes of septic rats.
 Alterations in adipocyte metabolism induced by ET include increased oxidation of glucose to CO2 (an insulin-like effect) and increased lipolysis upon NE and ACTH stimulation.
