title: Calcium Signaling in Interstitial Cells: Focus on Telocytes.
abstract: In this review, we describe the current knowledge on calcium signaling pathways in interstitial cells with a special focus on interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs), interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLCs), and telocytes. In detail, we present the generation of Ca2+oscillations, the inositol triphosphate (IP₃)/Ca2+signaling pathway and modulation exerted by cytokines and vasoactive agents on calcium signaling in interstitial cells. We discuss the physiology and alterations of calcium signaling in interstitial cells, and in particular in telocytes. We describe the physiological contribution of calcium signaling in interstitial cells to the pacemaking activity (e.g., intestinal, urinary, uterine or vascular pacemaking activity) and to the reproductive function. We also present the pathological contribution of calcium signaling in interstitial cells to the aortic valve calcification or intestinal inflammation. Moreover, we summarize the current knowledge of the role played by calcium signaling in telocytes in the uterine, cardiac and urinary physiology, and also in various pathologies, including immune response, uterine and cardiac pathologies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 8, Verona 37134, Italy. beatrice.mihaela.radu@gmail.com.|Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Splaiul Independentei 91-95, Bucharest 050095, Romania. beatrice.mihaela.radu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Beatrice Mihaela
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Radu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Splaiul Independentei 91-95, Bucharest 050095, Romania. adela.banciu79@gmail.com.|Research Beyond Limits, Dimitrie Cantemir 15, Bucharest 040234, Romania. adela.banciu79@gmail.com.|Engineering Faculty, Constantin Brancusi University, Calea Eroilor 30, Targu Jiu 210135, Romania. adela.banciu79@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Adela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banciu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Splaiul Independentei 91-95, Bucharest 050095, Romania. danieldumitrubanciu@gmail.com.|Research Beyond Limits, Dimitrie Cantemir 15, Bucharest 040234, Romania. danieldumitrubanciu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Daniel Dumitru
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Banciu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 8, Verona 37134, Italy. mradu@nipne.ro.|Department of Life and Environmental Physics, Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Reactorului 30, P.O. Box MG-6, Magurele 077125, Romania. mradu@nipne.ro.
authors.forename: Mihai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Radu
authors.affiliation: Division of Cell Biology and Histology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania. dragos@cretoiu.ro.|Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest 050096, Romania. dragos@cretoiu.ro.
authors.forename: Dragos
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cretoiu
authors.affiliation: Division of Cell Biology and Histology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest 050474, Romania. sanda@cretoiu.ro.|Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest 050096, Romania. sanda@cretoiu.ro.
authors.forename: Sanda Maria
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cretoiu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects; D003239:Connective Tissue Cells / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D056885:Interstitial Cells of Cajal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010641:Phenotype; D000067170:Telocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Ca2+ oscillations; calcium signaling; interstitial cells; pacemaker activity; telocytes