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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...
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,...
RC Circuits: Charging A Capacitor01:30

RC Circuits: Charging A Capacitor

A circuit containing resistance and capacitance is called an RC circuit. A capacitor is an electrical component that stores electric charge by storing energy in an electric field. Consider a simple RC circuit having a DC (direct current) voltage source ε, a resistor R, a capacitor C, and a two-way position switch. In the circuit, the capacitor can be charged or discharged depending on the position of the switch.
When the switch is moved to connect the battery, the circuit reduces to a simple...

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FOREWORD. Ninety years ago, Raymond Pearl, a professor of biology at Johns Hopkins University.

The Quarterly review of biology·2015
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Flash Photolysis of Caged Compounds in the Cilia of Olfactory Sensory Neurons
11:35

Flash Photolysis of Caged Compounds in the Cilia of Olfactory Sensory Neurons

Published on: October 29, 2011

Is the firefly flash regulated by calcium?

Albert D Carlson1

  • 1Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794.

Integrative and Comparative Biology
|June 17, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Firefly flash patterns in Photuris versicolor and Photuris lucicrescens males differ significantly. Calcium ions appear crucial for the intense, prolonged scintillation response observed in P. versicolor lanterns.

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Last Updated: Jun 1, 2026

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Area of Science:

  • * Neurobiology
  • * Animal behavior
  • * Biophysics

Background:

  • * Male fireflies of the genus Photuris exhibit distinct courtship flash patterns.
  • * These patterns are thought to be neurologically controlled, but the mechanisms of light production and control differ between species.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To investigate the neural control mechanisms underlying the distinct flash patterns of Photuris versicolor and Photuris lucicrescens.
  • * To explore the role of specific ions in modulating firefly lantern luminescence.

Main Methods:

  • * Direct electrical stimulation of firefly lanterns.
  • * Analysis of luminescence responses under varying electrical frequencies and saline compositions.
  • * Observation of photocyte activity in exposed lantern tissue.

Main Results:

  • * P. lucicrescens lanterns glow continuously with high-frequency stimulation.
  • * P. versicolor lanterns produce rapid, triple-pulsed flashes in response to electrical stimulation.
  • * P. versicolor lantern tissue exhibits intense, random scintillation in saline rich in potassium and calcium ions, while P. lucicrescens lanterns only glow.

Conclusions:

  • * Calcium ions are essential for the scintillation response in P. versicolor, suggesting their involvement in flash control.
  • * The differing responses highlight species-specific mechanisms in firefly bioluminescence and neural control of flashing.