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Calcium in Biological Systems pp 23–33Cite as

Intracellular Calcium as a Second Messenger

What’s so Special about Calcium?

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Abstract

Intracellular calcium serves as a second messenger for the control of a variety of cell functions, including secretion, contraction, phototransduction, cell division and differentiation, and potassium and sodium permeability. Since many aspects of calcium metabolism are strikingly similar in very diverse cell types, we will focus on certain general features of calcium metabolism that are applicable to a large variety of cells. Our objective is to gain some understanding of why calcium is such a good second messenger.

Keywords

  • Calcium Binding Protein
  • Anionic Site
  • Electrochemical Gradient
  • Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum
  • Hydroxyl Oxygen

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21201, USA

    Mordecai P. Blaustein

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  1. Mordecai P. Blaustein
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA

    Ronald P. Rubin & James W. Putney Jr. & 

  2. CIBA-GEIGY Corporation, Summit, New Jersey, USA

    George B. Weiss

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© 1985 Plenum Press, New York

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Blaustein, M.P. (1985). Intracellular Calcium as a Second Messenger. In: Rubin, R.P., Weiss, G.B., Putney, J.W. (eds) Calcium in Biological Systems. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2377-8_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2377-8_3

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