title: Calcium signalling and the triggering of secretion in adrenal chromaffin cells.
abstract: The pivotal intracellular message for triggering catecholamine release from bovine adrenal chromaffin cells is an elevation in the concentration of cytosolic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i). Studies using video-imaging techniques have shown that a rise in [Ca2+]i at the cell periphery, that is due to Ca2+ entry, is the major activating signal for exocytosis. The cytoskeleton has been identified as a major regulatory site of exocytosis, with Ca(2+)-induced disruption of the cortical actin network being required in order that previously restrained granules may have access to their exocytotic sites. The Ca(2+)- and phospholipid-dependent annexin protein, calpactin, has been strongly implicated in a late stage of interaction between granules and the plasma membrane by both ultrastructural and biochemical studies.
authors.affiliation: AFRC Laboratory of Molecular Signalling, Department of Zoology, Cambridge, U.K.
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Cheek
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D002838:Chromaffin System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D005089:Exocytosis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium