Intracellular calcium dynamics--sparks of insight.
Calcium ions are of key importance in a large number of cellular functions. In the past decade a large variety of cells have been found to show localized increases in the intracellular calcium concentration named calcium sparks. In this brief review, the methodology of detecting calcium sparks by confocal microscopy is summarized. Some of the properties of calcium sparks in muscle (cardiac, skeletal and smooth muscles), neurons, nerve terminals and oocytes aredescribed. Speculations are put forward regarding their possible role in microcontrol of cell function.
Department of Physiology and the Bernard Katz Minerva Centre for Cell Biophysics, The Hebrew University--Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
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D
Kraus
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Khoury
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A
Fendyur
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SG
Kachalsky
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Abu-Hatoum
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Rahamimoff
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans
D002118:Calcium