ABSTRACT

Calcium is an intracellular messenger used by numerous hormones and neurotransmitters to activate diverse cellular functions, from contraction or secretion to gene expression. The physiological implications range from their role in muscle or secretory tissues to neural transmission. The development of this field has been very rapid during the last two decades, and has allowed the characterization of the calcium transport mechanisms, which shape the calcium signals evoked by hormones and neurotransmitters. Currently, it is obvious that calcium signals are a heterogeneous code suited to the particular function of each cell type. This code can be regarded as a cellular language, and we are starting to understand its basic components.