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Updated: Feb 8, 2026

Imaging Ca2+ Signals in Small Pulmonary Veins at Physiological Intraluminal Pressures
Published on: March 21, 2025
Molecular regulation of MCU: Implications in physiology and disease
Neeharika Nemani1, Santhanam Shanmughapriya1, Muniswamy Madesh2
1Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biochemistry, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; Center for Translational Medicine, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA.
Abstract:
Ca2+ flux across the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) regulates cellular bioenergetics, intra-cellular cytoplasmic Ca2+ signals, and various cell death pathways. Ca2+ entry into the mitochondria occurs due to the highly negative membrane potential (ΔΨm) through a selective inward rectifying MCU channel. In addition to being regulated by various mitochondrial matrix resident proteins such as MICUs, MCUb, MCUR1 and EMRE, the channel is transcriptionally regulated by upstream Ca2+ cascade, post transnational modification and by divalent cations. The mode of regulation either inhibits or enhances MCU channel activity and thus regulates mitochondrial metabolism and cell fate.
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