Intracellular Calcium Fluxes in Excitable Cells

The estimation of not only concentrations of different intracellular ions (calcium in particular), but also of the dynamics of changes in these parameters, is one of the most important tasks in today cell biology. The measurements of calcium concentrations in the cell and even in its separate organelles are possible with the use of several experimental approaches (electron microscopy, electrophysiological techniques, fluorescent/optic methods, and others). Calcium is present in the cell in free (ionized) and bound states. Local rapid changes in the Ca²⁺ level in definite cell sites are individual quanta of an integral oscillatory calcium signal determining numerous cell functions. Separation of calcium fluxes in different cell compartments and evaluation of the role of calcium receptors and channels in the plasma membrane and membranes of the intracellular organelles allows experimenters to begin estimation of contributions of the respective events to the regulation of physiological functions of the cell, e.g., of synaptic plasticity of the neuron. This review describes some methodic approaches for the measurements of concentrations of calcium and characteristics of its fluxes; this makes it possible to characterize separate components of calcium signaling and to determine the roles of these components in the regulation of different functions of excitable cells.

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