title: Endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) homeostasis and neuronal death.
abstract: The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a universal signalling organelle, which regulates a wide range of neuronal functional responses. Calcium release from the ER underlies various forms of intracellular Ca(2+) signalling by either amplifying Ca(2+) entry through voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels by Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release (CICR) or by producing local or global cytosolic calcium fluctuations following stimulation of metabotropic receptors through inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate-induced Ca(2+) release (IICR). The ER Ca(2+) store emerges as a single interconnected pool, thus allowing for a long-range Ca(2+) signalling via intra-ER tunnels. The fluctuations of intra-ER free Ca(2+) concentration regulate the activity of numerous ER resident proteins responsible for post-translational protein folding and modification. Disruption of ER Ca(2+) homeostasis results in the developing of ER stress response, which in turn controls neuronal survival. Altered ER Ca(2+) handling may be involved in pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases including brain ischemia and Alzheimer dementia.
authors.affiliation: The University of Manchester, School of Biological Sciences, Manchester, United Kingdom. alex.verkhratsky@man.ac.uk
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verkhratsky
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Toescu
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000502:physiology*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels