Oscillatory Ca2+ signaling and its cellular function |
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Authors: | Y Tsunoda |
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Affiliation: | Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Japan. |
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Abstract: | It is well known that in the cells of many higher eukaryotic organisms Ca2+ ions are used as a signal messenger in the regulation of cellular functions. From recent studies with single cells it was suggested that the intracellular Ca2+ signal comprises repetitive and periodic Ca2+ spikes in a variety of cells. The mechanism by which intracellular Ca2+ oscillates and the biological significance of this oscillation are not well understood. It also remains to be determined how the Ca2+ signaling system sends a message into the cell, intermittently, to amplify the functional response. This review describes and integrates some recent views of oscillatory Ca2+ signaling. |
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