Intracellular calcium signals mediated by IP3 and ryanodine receptors (IP3R
/RyR) play a central role in cell survival, but emerging evidence suggests
that IP3R/RyR are also important in apoptotic cell death. Switch from the l
ife program to the death program may involve coincident detection of proapo
ptotic stimuli and calcium signals or changes in the spatiotemporal pattern
of the calcium signal or changes at the lever of effecters activated by th
e calcium signal (e.g. calpain, calcineurin). The fate of the cell is often
determined in the mitochondria, where calcium spikes may support cell surv
ival through stimulation of ATP production or initiate apoptosis via openin
g of the permeability transition pore and release of apoptotic factors such
as cytochrome c. The functional importance of these mitochondrial calcium
signalling pathways has been underscored by the elucidation of a highly eff
ective, local Ca2+ coupling between IP3R/RyR and mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake
sites. This article will focus on the IP3R/RyR-dependent pathways to apopto
sis, particularly on the mitochondrial phase of the death cascade. (C) 2000
Harcourt Publishers Ltd.