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Updated: Jun 6, 2026

In Vitro and In Vivo Detection of Mitophagy in Human Cells, C. Elegans, and Mice
Published on: November 22, 2017
The IP(3) receptor-mitochondria connection in apoptosis and autophagy
Jean-Paul Decuypere1, Giovanni Monaco, Geert Bultynck
1Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Signalling, Dept. Molecular and Cellular, campus Gasthuisberg O/N1 K.U.Leuven, Bus 802, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
Abstract:
The amount of Ca(2+) taken up in the mitochondrial matrix is a crucial determinant of cell fate; it plays a decisive role in the choice of the cell between life and death. The Ca(2+) ions mainly originate from the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP(3))-sensitive Ca(2+) stores of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The uptake of these Ca(2+) ions in the mitochondria depends on the functional properties and the subcellular localization of the IP(3) receptor (IP(3)R) in discrete domains near the mitochondria. To allow for an efficient transfer of the Ca(2+) ions from the ER to the mitochondria, structural interactions between IP(3)Rs and mitochondria are needed. This review will focus on the key proteins involved in these interactions, how they are regulated, and what are their physiological roles in apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: 11th European Symposium on Calcium.
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