Premium
Lipid rafts, the sarcoplasmic reticulum and uterine calcium signalling: an integrated approach
Author(s) -
Noble Karen,
Zhang Jie,
Wray Susan
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.2005.098475
Subject(s) - lipid raft , endoplasmic reticulum , microbiology and biotechnology , calcium signaling , contractility , cytosol , calcium , biology , phosphorylation , chemistry , endocrinology , signal transduction , medicine , biochemistry , enzyme
The pathways involved in Ca 2 + signalling in the uterus remain incompletely understood, impairing our ability to prevent preterm and difficult labours. In this review we focus on two elements in the pathway of Ca 2 + signalling that have recently emerged as playing important roles: membrane lipid rafts and the sarcoplasmic reticulum. We examine the evidence for lipid rafts in the uterus and discuss their functional role. We suggest that the increases in cytosolic [Ca 2 + ] and contractility that occur with raft disruption are due, at least in part, to effects on large conductance Ca 2 + ‐activated K + (BK) channels that are localized to rafts. The role of the SR in contributing to subsarcolemmal cytosolic microdomains in uterus is evaluated, along with its interactions with ion channels on the plasma membrane. Thus, signalling microdomains play an important, but incompletely understood, role in the uterus, and integrating them into other Ca 2 + signalling pathways is a challenge for further research. We suggest that the role of the SR changes in pregnancy, from promoting quiescence via BK channels or SR Ca 2 + uptake, to promoting Ca 2 + entry and contractility at term, and relate data on lipid rafts to clinical outcome in obese pregnant women.