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Updated: May 26, 2026
10:12
Measuring Spatial and Temporal Ca2+ Signals in Arabidopsis Plants
Published on: September 2, 2014
Plant organellar calcium signalling: an emerging field
Simon Stael1, Bernhard Wurzinger, Andrea Mair
1Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, MFPL, University of Vienna, Dr Bohrgasse 9, A-1030 Vienna, Austria.
Journal of Experimental Botany
|December 28, 2011
Summary
Organelles like chloroplasts and mitochondria regulate cellular calcium signalling. This review details their roles and explores evolutionary origins of this vital process.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Plant Science
Background:
- Calcium ions (Ca2+) act as crucial secondary messengers in eukaryotic signal transduction.
- Existing reviews primarily focus on nuclear calcium signalling, neglecting the roles of other organelles.
- Organelles such as the vacuole, endoplasmic reticulum, and apoplast are known calcium stores in plants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of organelle involvement in calcium signalling.
- To highlight the calcium handling properties of chloroplasts, mitochondria, and peroxisomes.
- To discuss potential homologous mechanisms between animal and plant organellar calcium signalling and its evolutionary origins.
Main Methods:
- Literature review synthesizing established and emerging knowledge on organelle calcium signalling.
- Summary of calcium concentration regulation in various cellular compartments.
- Comparative analysis of animal and plant organellar calcium signalling mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Chloroplasts, mitochondria, and peroxisomes are not only regulated by calcium but also influence cytoplasmic and cellular Ca2+ signalling pathways.
- The review consolidates information on plant organelle calcium stores and regulatory mechanisms.
- Insights from animal calcium signalling research are discussed for potential relevance to plant systems.
Conclusions:
- Organelles play significant, multifaceted roles in cellular calcium homeostasis and signalling.
- Understanding organelle calcium handling is key to deciphering complex cell communication networks.
- Exploring bacterial calcium signalling may offer clues into the evolutionary origins of this eukaryotic mechanism.
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