title: Role of mitochondrial Ca2+ regulation in neuronal and glial cell signalling.
abstract: It is becoming increasingly clear that mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake from and release into the cytosol has important consequences for neuronal and glial activity. Ca2+ regulates mitochondrial metabolism, and mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and release modulate physiological and pathophysiological cytosolic responses. In glial cells, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-dependent Ca2+ responses are faithfully translated into elevations in mitochondrial Ca2+ levels, which modifies cytosolic Ca2+ wave propagation and may activate mitochondrial enzymes. The location of mitochondria within neurones may partially determine their role in Ca2+ signalling. Neuronal death due to NMDA-evoked Ca2+ entry can be delayed by an inhibitor of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, and mitochondrial dysfunction is being increasingly implicated in a number of neurodegenerative conditions. These findings are illustrative of an emerging realization by neuroscientists of the importance of mitochondrial Ca2+ regulation as a modulator of cellular energetics, endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release and neurotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Russell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium