Studies of Ca2+-mediated toxicity in hepatocytes

Molecular mechanisms involved in the development of toxic cell injury have attracted increased interest in recent years. In particular, the possible existence of a final common pathway in toxic cell killing has been addressed in a number of studies. Recent work from our laboratory suggests that a disruption of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis may represent a common step in the development of toxic damage to hepatocytes, and that activation of Ca2+-dependent, neutral proteases by a sustained increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration represents one mechanism by which toxic agents can kill hepatocytes.