Calcium Signaling in Cholangiocytes: Methods, Mechanisms, and Effects

oleh: Michele Angela Rodrigues, Dawidson Assis Gomes, Michael Harris Nathanson

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2018-12-01

Deskripsi

Calcium (Ca<sup>2+</sup>) is a versatile second messenger that regulates a number of cellular processes in virtually every type of cell. The inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (ITPR) is the only intracellular Ca<sup>2+</sup> release channel in cholangiocytes, and is therefore responsible for Ca<sup>2+</sup>-mediated processes in these cells. This review will discuss the machinery responsible for Ca<sup>2+</sup> signals in these cells, as well as experimental models used to investigate cholangiocyte Ca<sup>2+</sup> signaling. We will also discuss the role of Ca<sup>2+</sup> in the normal and abnormal regulation of secretion and apoptosis in cholangiocytes, two of the best characterized processes mediated by Ca<sup>2+</sup> in this cell type.