Localized calcium spikes and propagating calcium waves. Review uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Ca2+ signals control or modulate diverse cellular processes such as cell growth, muscle contraction, hormone secretion, and neuronal plasticity. Elevations in intracellular Ca2+ concentrations can be highly localized to micron and submicron domains or propagated as intra- and intercellular waves over distances as large as 1 mm. Localized, subcellular Ca2+ spikes are thought to selectively activate effector systems such as Ca2+ activated chloride currents in pancreatic acinar cells, neurotransmitter release in synaptic nerve terminals, and morphological changes in neural growth cones. In contrast, long-ranged Ca2+ waves synchronize the activities of different cytoplasmic regions of a single cell, such as cortical granule exocytosis after egg fertilization or coordinate the activities of many cells, such as ciliary beating in pulmonary epithelium. The purpose of this review is to delineate the role of Ca2+ in the generation of localized, subcellular Ca2+ spikes and long-ranged intracellular and intercellular Ca2+ waves.

publication date

  • November 1, 1993

Research

keywords

  • Calcium
  • Signal Transduction

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0027440207

PubMed ID

  • 8131187

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 14

issue

  • 10