Premium
Uptake of Calcium by Mitochondria: Transport and Possible Function
Author(s) -
Gunter Thomas E.,
Gunter Karlene K.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
iubmb life
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.132
H-Index - 113
eISSN - 1521-6551
pISSN - 1521-6543
DOI - 10.1080/15216540152846000
Subject(s) - uniporter , mitochondrion , mitochondrial permeability transition pore , microbiology and biotechnology , biophysics , efflux , calcium , ion transporter , programmed cell death , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , apoptosis , enzyme , cytosol , membrane , organic chemistry
Vertebrate mitochondria contain a complex system for transport of Ca 2+ and related ions, consisting of two saturable modes of Ca 2+ influx and two separate, saturable mechanisms of Ca 2+ efflux. The characteristics of the mechanisms of Ca 2+ uptake, the uniporter and the RaM, are discussed here and suggestions are made about how the mechanisms may work together and separately to mediate the two physiological roles with which they are most commonly associated ‐ control of the rate of cellular ATP production and induction of the permeability transition and apoptosis. It is argued that more subtlety of control of intramitochondrial free Ca 2+ concentration ([Ca 2+ ] m ) must be used by the uniporter and the RaM to fulfill their physiological roles than has been commonly recognized. This is because an increase in [Ca 2+ ] m is associated with both increased production of ATP which supports the continued life of the cell and with induction of the permeability transition and possibly apoptosis, which leads to cell death. The saturable mechanisms of mitochondrial Ca 2+ efflux and the Ca 2+ ‐induced mitochondrial permeability transition, which can transport Ca 2+ as well as other ions and molecules and is often considered as a Ca 2+ transport mechanism, are being reviewed separately.