Mitochondrial calcium channels

Hoppe, Uta C.

doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2010.04.017

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Volume 584, Issue 10 , Pages 1975-1981, 17 May 2010

Mitochondrial calcium channels

Edited by Wilhelm Just

Department of Internal Medicine III, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany

Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne (CMMC), Cologne, Germany

Received 26 March 2010; accepted 8 April 2010. published online 12 April 2010.

Abstract

Mitochondrial Ca²⁺ handling plays an important role in energy production and various cellular signaling processes. Mitochondrial Ca²⁺ uptake is regulated by the mitochondrial Ca²⁺ uniporter (MCU), at least one non-MCU Ca²⁺ channel and possibly a mitochondrial ryanodine receptor. Two distinct mechanisms mediate Ca²⁺ outward transport, the Na⁺-dependent (mNCX) and the Na⁺-independent Ca²⁺ efflux. In recent years we gained more insight into the regulation and function of these different Ca²⁺ transport mechanisms. However, the precise physiological role and the molecular structure of all mitochondrial Ca²⁺ transporters and channels still has to be determined.

Abbreviations: ER, endoplasmic reticulum, MCU, mitochondrial Ca²⁺ uniporter, mCa1/2, mitochondrial Ca²⁺ channels type 1/2, RyR, ryanodine receptor, NCX, Na⁺/Ca²⁺-exchanger, PTP, permeability transition pore, RAM, Rapid mode of mitochondrial Ca²⁺ uptake, ROS, reactive oxygen species, SR, sarcoplasmic reticulum, VDAC, voltage dependent anion channel