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Updated: May 6, 2026

Analyses of Mitochondrial Calcium Influx in Isolated Mitochondria and Cultured Cells
Published on: April 27, 2018
Mitochondrial Ca(2+) uniporter (MCU)-dependent and MCU-independent Ca(2+) channels coexist in the inner mitochondrial
Alexander I Bondarenko1, Claire Jean-Quartier, Warisara Parichatikanond
1Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Center of Molecular Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Harrachgasse 21/III, 8010, Graz, Austria.
Abstract:
A protein referred to as CCDC109A and then renamed to mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) has recently been shown to accomplish mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake in different cell types. In this study, we investigated whole-mitoplast inward cation currents and single Ca(2+) channel activities in mitoplasts prepared from stable MCU knockdown HeLa cells using the patch-clamp technique. In whole-mitoplast configuration, diminution of MCU considerably reduced inward Ca(2+) and Na(+) currents. This was accompanied by a decrease in occurrence of single channel activity of the intermediate conductance mitochondrial Ca(2+) current (i-MCC). However, ablation of MCU yielded a compensatory 2.3-fold elevation in the occurrence of the extra large conductance mitochondrial Ca(2+) current (xl-MCC), while the occurrence of bursting currents (b-MCC) remained unaltered. These data reveal i-MCC as MCU-dependent current while xl-MCC and b-MCC seem to be rather MCU-independent, thus, pointing to the engagement of at least two molecularly distinct mitochondrial Ca(2+) channels.
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