Toward a Consensus on the Operation of Receptor-Induced Calcium Entry Signals

Donald L. Gill^1* and Randen L. Patterson^2*

¹Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
²208 Mueller Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.

Abstract: Receptor-induced Ca²⁺ signals involve both Ca²⁺ release from intracellular stores and extracellular Ca²⁺ entry across the plasma membrane. The channels mediating Ca²⁺ entry and the mechanisms controlling their function remain largely a mystery. Here we critically assess current views on the Ca²⁺ entry process and consider certain modifications to the widely held hypothesis that Ca²⁺ store emptying is the fundamental trigger for receptor-induced Ca²⁺ entry channels. Under physiological conditions, receptor-induced store depletion may be quite limited. A number of distinct channel activities appear to mediate receptor-induced Ca²⁺ entry, and their activation is observed to occur through quite diverse coupling processes.

*Corresponding authors. E-mail: dgill{at}umaryland.edu (D.L.G); runkinatiaaar{at}aol.com (R.L.P.)

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