Perspectives on Ryanodine Receptor Adaptation

The purpose of the Perspectives in General Physiology is to provide a forum where scientific uncertainties or controversies can be discussed in an authoritative, yet open manner. The Perspectives are solicited by the editors—often based on recommendations by the advisory editors or members of the editorial board, who may be asked to coordinate the process. To frame the issue, two or more experts will be invited to present a brief point of view on the problem, which will be published consecutively in The Journal . The comments and opinions expressed in the Perspectives are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Editors or the Editorial Board. The Perspectives will be accompanied by a few editorial paragraphs that introduce the problem—and invite the submission of comments, in the form of letters-to-the-editor, which will be published in a single, predetermined issue (usually four months after publication of the Perspective). After the letters-to-theeditor have been published, further responses will be limited to full manuscripts. In this issue of The Journal , R. Sitsapesan and A. J. Williams (The National Heart and Lung Institute, UK), M. Fill, A. Zahradníková, C.A. Villalba-Galea, I. Zahradník, A.L. Escobar, and S. Györke (Loyola University, Institute of Molecular Physiology and Genetics, Slovak Republic, and Texas Tech University), and G.D. Lamb, D.R. Laver, and D.G. Stephenson (La Trobe University, Australia) provide different insights into the controversies relating to ryanodine receptor (RyR) adaptation. The central problem is to understand how individual RyRs are regulated and, specifically, how Ca 2 1 -induced Ca 2 1