Abstract
Stromal interaction molecule (STIM) proteins function in cells as dynamic coordinators of cellular calcium (Ca2+) signals. Spanning the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane, they sense tiny changes in the levels of Ca2+ stored within the ER lumen. As ER Ca2+ is released to generate primary Ca2+ signals, STIM proteins undergo an intricate activation reaction and rapidly translocate into junctions formed between the ER and the plasma membrane. There, STIM proteins tether and activate the highly Ca2+-selective Orai channels to mediate finely controlled Ca 2+ signals and to homeostatically balance cellular Ca2+. Details are emerging on the remarkable organization within these STIM-induced junctional microdomains and the identification of new regulators and alternative target proteins for STIM.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 549-565 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 2012 |
Keywords
- Animals
- Calcium Signaling
- Calcium/metabolism
- Cell Adhesion Molecules/metabolism
- Cell Membrane/metabolism
- Endoplasmic Reticulum/metabolism
- Humans
- Intercellular Junctions/metabolism
- Membrane Proteins/metabolism
- Models, Biological
- Neoplasm Proteins/metabolism
- Stromal Interaction Molecule 1
- Stromal Interaction Molecule 2