title: Pancreatic calcium signaling: role in health and disease.
abstract: In order to control cell functions, extracellular agents, such as hormones or neurotransmitters among others, generate a diversity of calcium (Ca(2+)) signals in target cells. Here, we review the components involved in Ca(2+) handling and effectors, both members of the known calcium signaling pathways. In the pancreas, Ca(2+) signal appears as local increases, global elevations or Ca(2+) oscillations. Ca(2+) plays a key role in the pancreatic cells, regulating secretion in exocrine cells, a widely used model for studying the coupling between Ca(2+) signaling and secretion, and the release of insulin, glucagon and somatostatin in the exocrine pancreas. Interestingly, Ca(2+) deregulations have been related to pancreatitis and aging of the pancreas, and treatment with melatonin has shown beneficial effects suggesting that melatonin could be an adequate therapeutic approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Nursing School, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain. pjgomez@unex.es
authors.forename: Pedro J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Gomez-Pinilla
authors.forename: Pedro J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Camello
authors.forename: María J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pozo
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D006706:Homeostasis; D010179:Pancreas / Q000502:physiology*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium