Abstract
AbstractCalcium may have a static, structure‐stabilizing role in biological organs like the bones and the teeth, or may fulfill a dynamic function in cells as a regulator of signal‐transduction pathways. This is made possible by the properties of the Ca2+ ion (e.g., high dehydration rate, great flexibility in coordinating ligands, largely irregular geometry of the coordination sphere). Since Ca2+ is a universal carrier of signals, the control of its homeostasis is of central importance for the organism. It involves exchanges between the skeleton (which is the major calcium reservoir) and the extracellular and intracellular fluids. It also involves the intestine and the kidney, the organs of Ca absorption and release, respectively. The highly integrated homeostasis process consists of a number of hormonally controlled feedback loops, and an elaborate system of membrane channels, exchangers, and pumps that control the Ca2+ flux into and out of cells.
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