MECHANISMS OF CALCIUM OSCILLATIONS AND WAVES - A QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS

Oscillations and waves of increased intracellular free calcium concent ration ([Ca2+]i) are observed in a wide range of cell types, Because o f their inherent nonlinear nature and the consequent unreliability of intuitive approaches, mathematical modeling has an important role to p lay in the study of these phenomena, One important class of oscillatio ns and waves is dependent on the presence of inositol (1,4,5)-trisphos phate (IP3), which releases Ca2+ from internal stores via the IP3 rece ptor/Ca2+ channel, With the minimum possible mathematical formalism, w e review mechanistic models for IP3-dependent Ca2+ oscillations and wa ves, These models are based on the regulation of the IP3 receptor by b oth IP3 and Ca2+, and incorporate experimental data on the steady-stat e and kinetic properties of the receptor, The extension of the models to describe intracellular and intercellular Ca2+ waves is considered.