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Updated: Mar 6, 2026

Single-Cell Calcium Imaging for Studying the Activation of Calcium Ion Channels
Published on: December 13, 2024
Calcium and cancer: targeting Ca2+ transport
Gregory R Monteith1, Damara McAndrew, Helen M Faddy
1School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 4072. greg@pharmacy.uq.edu.au
Abstract:
Ca2+ is a ubiquitous cellular signal. Altered expression of specific Ca2+ channels and pumps are characterizing features of some cancers. The ability of Ca2+ to regulate both cell death and proliferation, combined with the potential for pharmacological modulation, offers the opportunity for a set of new drug targets in cancer. However, the ubiquity of the Ca2+ signal is often mistakenly presumed to thwart the specific therapeutic targeting of proteins that transport Ca2+. This Review presents evidence to the contrary and addresses the question: which Ca2+ channels and pumps should be targeted?
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