The development of Ca2+ indicators: a breakthrough in pharmacological research.
The development, beginning in 1979, of fluorescent Ca2+-specific indicators as research tools has revolutionized transmembrane signaling studies. In this article, the state of the art in the 'pre-Ca2+-indicator' era and the rationale for the development of indicators trapped in the cytosol to investigate the cytosolic concentration of Ca2+ in mammalian cells are summarized. Subsequent extension of these studies to the level of the single cell, together with the unique impact that Ca2+ indicators have had on signaling research and the introduction of specific, fluorescent gene constructs that provide direct, high-resolution information about the intracellular concentration of Ca2+, are also discussed.
Meldolesi
Jacopo
J
DIBIT, Department of Neuroscience and Center of Excellence in Physiopathology of Cell Differentiation, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele and San Raffaele Scientific Institute, via Olgettina 58, Milano, Italy. meldolesi.jacopo@hsr.it
D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D003600:Cytosol / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015335:Molecular Probes; D010600:Pharmacology / Q000639:trends*; D012106:Research; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
D000634:Aminoquinolines; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D015335:Molecular Probes; C035739:Quin2; D002118:Calcium