Calcium wave signaling in cancer cells.

ABSTRACT: Ca(2+) functions as an important signaling messenger right from beginning of life to the final moments of the end of life. Ca(2+) is needed at several steps of the cell cycle such as early G(1), at the G(1)/S, and G(2)/M transitions. The Ca(2+) signals in the form of time-dependent changes in intracellular Ca(2+) concentrations, [Ca(2+)](i), are presented as brief spikes organized into regenerative Ca(2+) waves. Ca(2+)-mediated signaling pathways have also been shown to play important roles in carcinogenesis such as transformation of normal cells to cancerous cells, tumor formation and growth, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. Since the global Ca(2+) oscillations arise from Ca(2+) waves initiated locally, it results in stochastic oscillations because although each cell has many IP(3)R

SUBMITTER: Parkash J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2974775 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature