Moving Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum to mitochondria: is spatial intimacy enough?. (22nd May 2006)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rutter, G.A.
• Is Part Of: Biochemical Society transactions. Volume 34:Number 3(2006)
• Page Start: 351
• Page End: 355
• Publication Date: 2006-05-22
• Subjects: calcium transport -- DsRed -- endoplasmic reticulum -- mitochondrion -- p50; Biochemistry -- Congresses; 572
• DOI: 10.1042/BST0340351
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0300-5127

Abstract

Abstract : A number of studies in recent years have demonstrated that the ER (endoplasmic reticulum) makes intimate contacts with mitochondria, the latter organelles existing both as individual organelles and occasionally as a more extensive interconnected network. Demonstrations that mitochondria take up Ca 2+ more avidly upon its mobilization from the ER than when delivered to permeabilized cells as a buffered solution also indicate that a shielded conduit for Ca 2+ may exist between the two organelle types, perhaps comprising the inositol 1, 4, 5-trisphosphate receptor and mitochondrial outer membrane proteins including the VDAC (voltage-dependent anion channel). Although the existence of such intracellular ER–mitochondria 'synapses', or of an ER–mitochondria Ca 2+ 'translocon', is an exciting idea, more definitive experiments are needed to test this possibility.