Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

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

Stem cells and calcium signaling

Fernanda M P Tonelli1, Anderson K Santos, Dawidson A Gomes

  • 1Nanomaterials Laboratory, Department of Physics, Insitute of Exact Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|March 29, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Calcium signaling is crucial for stem cell research and therapies. Understanding these molecular signals ensures safe and effective stem cell treatments for diseases.

Area of Science:

  • Stem cell biology
  • Molecular signaling
  • Biomedical research

Background:

  • Stem cell research holds promise for treating diseases and cell replacement.
  • Safe therapeutic innovation requires understanding molecular signals guiding cell fate.
  • Intracellular calcium (Ca2+) concentration ([Ca2+]i) dynamics are key signaling events.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of Ca2+-mediated signaling in stem cells.
  • To highlight the role of Ca2+ in stem cell maintenance and differentiation.
  • To discuss the therapeutic potential of Ca2+ signaling in stem cell applications.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of Ca2+ signaling in stem cell biology.
  • Analysis of Ca2+ dynamics during stem cell differentiation.
  • Exploration of Ca2+-related therapeutic strategies.

Main Results:

  • Ca2+ acts as a critical intracellular messenger in stem cell pathways.
  • Transient [Ca2+]i changes are essential for stem cell fate determination.
  • Ca2+-mediated signaling influences stem cell maintenance and differentiation.

Conclusions:

  • Ca2+ signaling is fundamental to stem cell behavior and potential applications.
  • Further research into Ca2+ pathways can advance stem cell therapies.
  • Targeting Ca2+ signaling may unlock new therapeutic avenues for regenerative medicine.

More Related Videos

Single-Cell Calcium Imaging for Studying the Activation of Calcium Ion Channels07:17

Single-Cell Calcium Imaging for Studying the Activation of Calcium Ion Channels

Published on: December 13, 2024

Measurement of Calcium Fluctuations Within the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum of Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells Using FRET-based Confocal Imaging10:05

Measurement of Calcium Fluctuations Within the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum of Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells Using FRET-based Confocal Imaging

Published on: June 20, 2016

Related Concept Videos

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,...
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...
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.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells01:19

Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells that can differentiate into most connective tissue cell types, except for hematopoietic cells, depending upon the source of MSCs. For example, bone-marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) can differentiate into osteocytes, hepatocytes, and pancreatic and neuronal cells. MSCs can be isolated from various sources such as bone marrow, placenta, adipose tissue, teeth, and Wharton’s jelly, a gelatinous substance in the umbilical cord. The ease of their access...
Amplifying Signals via Second Messengers01:15

Amplifying Signals via Second Messengers

Many receptor binding ligands are hydrophilic; they do not cross the cell membrane but bind to cell-surface receptors. Thus, their message must be relayed by second messengers present in the cell cytoplasm. There are several second messenger pathways, each with its own way of relaying information. For example, the G protein-coupled receptors can activate both phosphoinositol and cyclic AMP (cAMP) second messenger pathways. The phosphoinositol pathway is active when the receptor induces...
Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways01:41

Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways

Wnt is a zygotic effect gene that is expressed during very early embryonic development. It regulates various processes in animals starting from early development through the adult stage, such as organogenesis in the embryo and maintenance of neuronal and blood stem cells. Wnt proteins can induce a wide variety of intracellular pathways depending upon the specific abilities of different Wnt ligands to form a complex with shared and cognate receptors in the presence of different co-receptors. The...