Cell proliferation, calcium influx and calcium channels

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](cyt)) and its transients are vital for cell cycle progression, proliferation, and division.
• Calcium transients, primarily driven by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium release and reuptake, occur at various cell cycle stages, notably late G1 and mitosis.
• Sustained calcium entry is essential for maintaining ER calcium load and enabling prolonged calcium transients in oocytes and mammalian cells.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of calcium influx in controlling cell growth and proliferation.
• To explore the involvement of various calcium channels in cell cycle regulation.
• To discuss the specific mechanisms linking calcium entry to the activation of proliferation and cell division in mammalian cells.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on calcium signaling and cell cycle.
• Analysis of research on calcium channels (l-type, T-type) and store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) during the cell cycle.
• Examination of the relationship between cyclin activity and calcium channel expression/function.

Main Results:

• Calcium influx is critical for sustaining long-lasting calcium transients necessary for cell cycle progression.
• Expression and activity of l-type and T-type calcium channels, as well as SOCE amplitude, fluctuate across the cell cycle.
• A close correlation exists between cyclin expression/activity and calcium channel function, suggesting cell cycle-stage-specific calcium entry requirements.

Conclusions:

• Calcium influx plays a significant role in regulating cell proliferation and division.
• Specific calcium channels and their activity patterns are tightly linked to the cell cycle.
• Further investigation is needed to elucidate the precise signaling pathways connecting calcium influx to the activation of proliferation and cell division in mammalian cells.