Calcium - a life and death signal

Berridge, Michael J.
Bootman, Martin D.
Lipp, Peter

Michael J. Berridge, Martin D. Bootman and Peter Lipp are in the Laboratory of Molecular Signalling, The Babraham Institute, Babraham, Cambridge CB2 4AT, UK. e-mail: [email protected]

Nature 395(6703):p 645-648, October 15, 1998.

One of the most versatile and universal signalling agents in the human body is the calcium ion, Ca²⁺.How does this simple ion act during cell birth, life and death, and how does it regulate so many different cellular processes?