Intracellular Ca<sup>2+</sup> Signaling in Protozoan Parasites: An Overview with a Focus on Mitochondria
Ca<sup>2+</sup> signaling has been involved in controling critical cellular functions such as activation of proteases, cell death, and cell cycle control. The endoplasmatic reticulum plays a significant role in Ca<sup>2+</sup> storage inside the cell, but mitochondria have lo...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/1/469 |
| Summary: | Ca<sup>2+</sup> signaling has been involved in controling critical cellular functions such as activation of proteases, cell death, and cell cycle control. The endoplasmatic reticulum plays a significant role in Ca<sup>2+</sup> storage inside the cell, but mitochondria have long been recognized as a fundamental Ca<sup>2+</sup> pool. Protozoan parasites such as <i>Plasmodium falciparum</i>, <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i>, and <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i> display a Ca<sup>2+</sup> signaling toolkit with similarities to higher eukaryotes, including the participation of mitochondria in Ca<sup>2+</sup>-dependent signaling events. This review summarizes the most recent knowledge in mitochondrial Ca<sup>2+</sup> signaling in protozoan parasites, focusing on the mechanism involved in mitochondrial Ca<sup>2+</sup> uptake by pathogenic protists. |
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| ISSN: | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |