title: Calcium signalling during embryonic development.
abstract: Consider a hypothetical design specification for an integrated communication-control system within an embryo. It would require short-range (subcellular) and long-range (pan-embryonic) abilities, it would have to be flexible and, at the same time, robust enough to operate in a dynamically changing environment without information being lost or misinterpreted. Although many signalling elements appear, disappear and sometimes reappear during development, it is becoming clear that embryos also depend on a ubiquitous, persistent and highly versatile signalling system that is based around a single messenger, Ca2+.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, PRC.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: Andrew L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D047108:Embryonic Development; D014981:Xenopus / Q000196:embryology*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium