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Updated: Feb 20, 2026

Direct Imaging of ER Calcium with Targeted-Esterase Induced Dye Loading TED
Published on: May 7, 2013
Calcium signaling at the endoplasmic reticulum: fine-tuning stress responses
Amado Carreras-Sureda1, Philippe Pihán1, Claudio Hetz2
1Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Chile; Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile; Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Abstract:
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium signaling is implicated in a myriad of coordinated cellular processes. The ER calcium content is tightly regulated as it allows a favorable environment for protein folding, in addition to operate as a major reservoir for fast and specific release of calcium. Altered ER homeostasis impacts protein folding, activating the unfolded protein response (UPR) as a rescue mechanism to restore proteostasis. ER calcium release impacts mitochondrial metabolism and also fine-tunes the threshold to undergo apoptosis under chronic stress. The global coordination between UPR signaling and energetic demands takes place at mitochondrial associated membranes (MAMs), specialized subdomains mediating interorganelle communication. Here we discuss current models explaining the functional relationship between ER homeostasis and various cellular responses to coordinate proteostasis and metabolic maintenance.
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