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Updated: May 5, 2026
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Measurement of Calcium Fluctuations Within the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum of Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells Using FRET-based Confocal Imaging
Published on: June 20, 2016
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Calcium channels, external calcium concentration and cell proliferation
Anne-Sophie Borowiec1, Gabriel Bidaux1, Natascha Pigat2
1INSERM U1003, LabEx ICST, Université Lille 1, Villeneuve d'Ascq F-59655, France.
European Journal of Pharmacology
|December 3, 2013
Summary
Calcium influx is vital for cell proliferation, but cancer cells can proliferate independently of external calcium. Cell proliferation may depend on the balance between calcium influx and calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) activation.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biochemistry
- Physiology
Background:
- Calcium influx is crucial for cell proliferation.
- Calcium channel expression levels significantly impact cell proliferation.
- Various calcium channels (voltage-gated, store-operated, etc.) are linked to cell proliferation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the relationship between calcium influx, calcium channel expression, and cell proliferation.
- To investigate the role of calcium-sensing receptors (CaSR) in cell proliferation.
- To propose a model where cell proliferation depends on the balance between calcium influx and CaSR activation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on calcium channels and cell proliferation.
- Analysis of the uncoupling of calcium influx and proliferation in cancer cells.
- Consideration of the regulatory role of CaSR in response to extracellular calcium concentrations.
Main Results:
- Calcium influx is essential for normal cell proliferation.
- Transformed and cancer cells can exhibit external calcium-independent proliferation.
- CaSR activity is sensitive to extracellular calcium (0.5-5 mM) and can modulate proliferation.
Conclusions:
- Protein expression of calcium channels might be more critical than channel function for proliferation in some contexts.
- Additional channel functions may reconcile expression levels with proliferation.
- Cell proliferation rates could be determined by the interplay between calcium influx and CaSR activation.
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