Abstract
Calcium is of pivotal importance for many biological processes. It may have a rather static, structure-stabilizing role, or it may participate as one of the second messengers of the cell in signal transduction pathways, fulfilling a more dynamic function. This is made possible by some specific properties of the Ca2+ ion (e.g. high dehydration rate, great flexibility in coordinating ligands, largely irregular geometry of the coordination sphere). The control of calcium homeostasis is of central importance to the organism, involving an exchange of the mineral between the skeleton (as the major calcium reservoir), the intestine, and the kidney (as the organs of calcium absorption or reuptake), from the extracellular fluid (ECF) and intracellular calcium, respectively. This highly integrated process consists of a number of hormonally controlled feedback loops and an elaborate system of channels, exchanger, and pumps to control Ca2+ fluxes into and out of cells. This article describes the different roles of calcium in the regulation of biological functions and the proteins involved in these processes.
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