title: Sensors and regulators of intracellular pH.
abstract: Protons dictate the charge and structure of macromolecules and are used as energy currency by eukaryotic cells. The unique function of individual organelles therefore depends on the establishment and stringent maintenance of a distinct pH. This, in turn, requires a means to sense the prevailing pH and to respond to deviations from the norm with effective mechanisms to transport, produce or consume proton equivalents. A dynamic, finely tuned balance between proton-extruding and proton-importing processes underlies pH homeostasis not only in the cytosol, but in other cellular compartments as well.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Joseph R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grinstein
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Orlowski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D015388:Organelles / Q000378:metabolism*; D011522:Protons; D015398:Signal Transduction; D025262:Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011522:Protons; D025262:Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases