Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Feedback Regulation of Calcium Concentration01:27

Feedback Regulation of Calcium Concentration

Calcium is an essential signaling molecule required for various cellular functions. Calcium pumps and ion channels on cell and organellar membranes, such as those on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), regulate calcium concentrations inside the cell. They remain closed, keeping the cytosolic calcium levels low at a resting state.
Various transmembrane receptors, such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), elicit a response to extracellular signals by increasing cytosolic calcium. Activated GPCRs...
Ionic Bonds00:42

Ionic Bonds

When atoms gain or lose electrons to achieve a more stable electron configuration they form ions. Ionic bonds are electrostatic attractions between ions with opposite charges. Ionic compounds are rigid and brittle when solid and may dissociate into their constituent ions in water. Covalent compounds, by contrast, remain intact unless a chemical reaction breaks them.Opposing Charges Hold Ions Together in Ionic CompoundsIonic bonds are reversible electrostatic interactions between ions with...
Skeleton and Calcium Homeostasis01:21

Skeleton and Calcium Homeostasis

Calcium is not only the most abundant mineral in bone but also the most abundant mineral in the human body. Calcium ions are needed for bone mineralization, tooth health, heart rate regulation and strength of contraction, blood coagulation, the contraction of smooth and skeletal muscle cells, and the regulation of nerve impulse conduction. The average calcium level in the blood is about 10 mg/dL. When the body cannot maintain this level, a person will experience hypo or hypercalcemia.
Roles of Electrolytes: Calcium and Phosphate01:27

Roles of Electrolytes: Calcium and Phosphate

Calcium and phosphate are essential electrolytes in the human body, with calcium being the most abundant mineral. Around 99% of the body's calcium is stored in the skeleton and teeth, forming a crystal lattice of mineral salts in combination with phosphates. Calcium plays crucial roles in various bodily functions such as blood clotting, neurotransmitter release, muscle tone maintenance, and nervous and muscle tissue excitability.
The calcium concentration in blood plasma is primarily regulated...
Ions and Ionic Charges03:27

Ions and Ionic Charges

In ordinary chemical reactions, the nucleus — which contains the protons and neutrons of each atom and thus identifies the element — remains unchanged. Electrons, however, can be added to atoms by transfer from other atoms, lost by transfer to other atoms, or shared with other atoms. The transfer and sharing of electrons among atoms govern the chemistry of the elements. During the formation of some compounds, atoms gain or lose electrons to form electrically charged particles called ions.
Calmodulin-dependent Signaling01:16

Calmodulin-dependent Signaling

Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium-binding protein in eukaryotes that controls various calcium-regulated cellular processes. It has four calcium-binding sites that bind calcium to form the calcium-calmodulin ( Ca2+-CaM) complex. GPCR stimulation increases the calcium levels in the cells that bind to CaM and induces a conformational change.
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Development and Implementation of an AI System for Generating Clinical Urine Drug Test Sign-Outs.

JAMA network open·2026
Same author

Reducing the Harm of Urine Drug Screening in Pregnancy.

JAMA network open·2025
Same author

Payment Matters: Understanding Payer Perspectives on Laboratory Stewardship.

The journal of applied laboratory medicine·2025
Same author

Clinical implications of opioid parent-metabolite ratios.

Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry·2024
Same author

Discovery of a Cushing's syndrome protein kinase A mutant that biases signaling through type I AKAPs.

Science advances·2024
Same author

Pastry precautions: Poppy seed-containing products cause significant positive results in urine drug tests.

Journal of analytical toxicology·2023
Same journal

Comparing conventional correction formulas and machine learning-based prediction of ionized calcium.

Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry·2026
Same journal

Micro- and nanoplastics as emerging clinical analytes: analytical validation, interpretive uncertainty, and laboratory actionability in human specimens.

Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry·2026
Same journal

Performance of Free Light Chain reagents in the Dutch External Quality Assessment programme over the past 14 years.

Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry·2026
Same journal

CRISPR-Cas12a-based liquid biopsy technology: challenges in large-scale clinical application.

Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry·2026
Same journal

Diagnostic biomarkers, prognostic signatures, and therapeutic resistance: shedding light on the dual role of autophagy in glioblastoma.

Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry·2026
Same journal

Artificial intelligence in diagnostic software: validation, safety, and lifecycle challenges in Europe.

Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Live Calcium Imaging of Virus-Infected Human Intestinal Organoid Monolayers Using Genetically Encoded Calcium Indicators
08:01

Live Calcium Imaging of Virus-Infected Human Intestinal Organoid Monolayers Using Genetically Encoded Calcium Indicators

Published on: January 19, 2024

Ionized calcium.

Geoffrey S Baird1

  • 1Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. gbaird@u.washington.edu

Clinica Chimica Acta; International Journal of Clinical Chemistry
|January 18, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study reviews calcium's role in the body and compares methods for measuring calcium levels. It discusses the clinical utility of ionized calcium testing versus total calcium measurements.

More Related Videos

Fluorescent Calcium Imaging and Subsequent In Situ Hybridization for Neuronal Precursor Characterization in Xenopus laevis
09:07

Fluorescent Calcium Imaging and Subsequent In Situ Hybridization for Neuronal Precursor Characterization in Xenopus laevis

Published on: February 18, 2020

Measurement of Total Calcium in Neurons by Electron Probe X-ray Microanalysis
11:42

Measurement of Total Calcium in Neurons by Electron Probe X-ray Microanalysis

Published on: November 20, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Live Calcium Imaging of Virus-Infected Human Intestinal Organoid Monolayers Using Genetically Encoded Calcium Indicators
08:01

Live Calcium Imaging of Virus-Infected Human Intestinal Organoid Monolayers Using Genetically Encoded Calcium Indicators

Published on: January 19, 2024

Fluorescent Calcium Imaging and Subsequent In Situ Hybridization for Neuronal Precursor Characterization in Xenopus laevis
09:07

Fluorescent Calcium Imaging and Subsequent In Situ Hybridization for Neuronal Precursor Characterization in Xenopus laevis

Published on: February 18, 2020

Measurement of Total Calcium in Neurons by Electron Probe X-ray Microanalysis
11:42

Measurement of Total Calcium in Neurons by Electron Probe X-ray Microanalysis

Published on: November 20, 2013

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Human Physiology
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Calcium is the most abundant mineral, vital for metabolic and regulatory processes.
  • Free calcium ions in extracellular fluid are critical physiologic mediators.
  • Assessing calcium levels is crucial for patients with calcium metabolism disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review calcium biochemistry and homeostasis.
  • To compare clinical methods for assessing calcium levels.
  • To discuss the appropriate use of ionized calcium testing.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of calcium biochemistry and homeostasis.
  • Comparative analysis of direct ionized calcium measurement, total calcium measurement, and albumin-adjusted total calcium.
  • Discussion of clinical utility, cost, and sensitivity of different calcium assays.

Main Results:

  • The manuscript reviews calcium's fundamental role and homeostasis.
  • It compares the clinical utility, cost-effectiveness, and sensitivity of various calcium measurement methods.
  • The review highlights the ongoing debate regarding the optimal clinical assessment of calcium status.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding calcium biochemistry and homeostasis is essential.
  • The choice between ionized calcium, total calcium, or albumin-adjusted calcium assays involves trade-offs in cost and clinical sensitivity.
  • Appropriate utilization of ionized calcium testing requires careful consideration of patient context and clinical goals.