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Updated: Nov 17, 2025

Author Spotlight: Exploring Salidroside's Molecular Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Treatment
Published on: June 9, 2023
Calcium signaling: breast cancer's approach to manipulation of cellular circuitry
Stephen J P Pratt1,2,3, Erick Hernández-Ochoa4, Stuart S Martin1,2,3
1Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA.
Abstract:
Calcium is a versatile element that participates in cell signaling for a wide range of cell processes such as death, cell cycle, division, migration, invasion, metabolism, differentiation, autophagy, transcription, and others. Specificity of calcium in each of these processes is achieved through modulation of intracellular calcium concentrations by changing the characteristics (amplitude/frequency modulation) or location (spatial modulation) of the signal. Breast cancer utilizes calcium signaling as an advantage for survival and progression. This review integrates evidence showing that increases in expression of calcium channels, GPCRs, pumps, effectors, and enzymes, as well as resulting intracellular calcium signals, lead to high calcium and/or an elevated calcium- mobilizing capacity necessary for malignant functions such as migratory, invasive, proliferative, tumorigenic, or metastatic capacities.
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