title: Calcium signalling in exocrine glands.
abstract: In exocrine gland cells, stimulation of a variety of surface receptors initiates a Ca2+ signalling system through activation of a polyphosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C. One product of phospholipase C activity, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate ((1,4,5)IP3), signals the release of intracellular Ca2+. Release of intracellular Ca2+ is followed by entry of Ca2+ into the cell across the plasma membrane. The mechanism by which Ca2+ entry is regulated is not well understood, although it is clear that (1,4,5)IP3 plays an important role. One hypothesis suggests that Ca2+ entry is triggered by the depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores by (1,4,5)IP3, a process termed 'capacitative calcium entry'. The purpose of these studies is to gain understanding into the processes controlling capacitative calcium entry in exocrine gland cells.
authors.affiliation: Calcium Regulation Section, Lab. Signal Transduction, Nat. Inst. Environmental Health Sciences, NIH Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA. bird@niehs.nih.gov
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Bird
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Louzao
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Putney
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D005088:Exocrine Glands / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium