Capacitative calcium entry channels

In the phospholipase C signaling system, Ca2+ is mobilized from intracellul ar stores by an action of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. The depletion of in tracellular calcium stores activates a calcium entry mechanism at the plasm a membrane called capacitative calcium entry. The signal for activating the entry is unknown but likely involves either the generation or release, or both, from the endoplasmic reticulum of some diffusible signal. Recent rese arch has focused on mammalian homologues of the Drosophila TRP protein as p otential candidates for capacitative calcium entry channels.. This review s ummarizes current knowledge about the nature of capacitative calcium entry signals, as well as the potential role of mammalian TRP proteins as capacit ative calcium entry channel molecules. Published 1999 John Wiley a Sons, In c.dagger.