A finite element analysis modelled diffusional generation of steady-state Ca2+ microdomains within skeletal muscle transverse (T)-tubular-sarcoplasmic reticular (SR) junctions, sites of ryanodine receptor (RyR)-mediated SR Ca2+ release. It used established quantifications of sarcomere and T-SR anatomy (radial diameter $$d=220 \, \mathrm{n}\mathrm{m}$$
d
=
220
n
m
; axial distance $$w=12 \, \mathrm{n}\mathrm{m}$$
w
=
12
n
m
). Its boundary SR Ca2+ influx densities,$${J}_{\mathrm{influx}}$$
J
influx
, reflected step impositions of influxes, $$\it {\Phi }_{\mathrm{influx}}={J}_{\mathrm{influx}}\left(\frac{\pi {d}^{2}}{4}\right),$$
Φ
influx
=
J
influx
π
d
2
4
,
deduced from previously measured Ca2+ signals following muscle fibre depolarization. Predicted steady-state T-SR junctional edge [Ca2+], [Ca2+]edge, matched reported corresponding experimental cytosolic [Ca2+] elevations given diffusional boundary efflux$$\it \it {\Phi }_{\mathrm{efflux}}=\frac{D [ {{{\mathrm{Ca}}^{2+}}}]_{\mathrm{edge}}}{\lambda } (\pi dw),$$
Φ
efflux
=
D
[
Ca
2
+
]
edge
λ
(
π
dw
)
,
established cytosolic Ca2+ diffusion coefficients $$(D = 4 \times {10}^{7} \mathrm{nm}^{2}/\mathrm{s})$$
(
D
=
4
×
10
7
nm
2
/
s
)
and exit length $$\lambda = 9.2 \, \mathrm{n}\mathrm{m}$$
λ
=
9.2
n
m
. Dependences of predicted [Ca2+]edge upon $${J}_{\mathrm{influx}}$$
J
influx
then matched those of experimental [Ca2+] upon Ca2+ release through their entire test voltage range. The resulting model consistently predicted elevated steady-state T-SR junctional ~ µM-[Ca2+] elevations radially declining from maxima at the T-SR junction centre along the entire axial T-SR distance. These [Ca2+] heterogeneities persisted through 104- and fivefold, variations in D and w around, and fivefold reductions in d below, control values, and through reported resting muscle cytosolic [Ca2+] values, whilst preserving the flux conservation ($$\it \it {\Phi }_{\mathrm{influx}}={\Phi }_{\mathrm{efflux}})$$
Φ
influx
=
Φ
efflux
)
condition, $${\left[\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{a}}^{2+}\right]}_{\mathrm{edge}}=\frac{\lambda {dJ}_{\mathrm{influx}}}{4Dw}$$
C
a
2
+
edge
=
λ
dJ
influx
4
D
w
. Skeletal muscle thus potentially forms physiologically significant ~ µM-[Ca2+] T-SR microdomains that could regulate cytosolic and membrane signalling molecules including calmodulin and RyR, These findings directly fulfil recent experimental predictions invoking such Ca2+ microdomains in observed regulatory effects upon Na+ channel function, in a mechanism potentially occurring in similar restricted intracellular spaces in other cell types.