Pyroptosis is a unique form of programmed cell death that essentially proinflammatory and critical for immunity. In their Research Article(e202115800), Qian Cao, Zong-Wan Mao, co-workers developed carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX)-anchored photosensitizer, CA-Re, capable inducing self-reporting membrane rupture upon irradiation, as well evoking pyroptosis to activate antitumor CA-Re the first metal-...

Activation of high-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BK) channels normally limits action potential duration and the associated voltage-gated Ca(2+) entry by facilitating membrane repolarization. Here we report that BK channel activation in rat pituitary somatotrophs prolongs membrane depolarization, leading to the generation of plateau-bursting activity and facilitated Ca(2+) entry. Such a par...

Although calcium (Ca) concentration in cellular compartments has been suggested to be tightly regulated, Ca deficiency disorders such as blossom-end rot (BER) in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit may be induced by abnormal regulation of Ca partitioning and distribution in the cell. The objectives of this work were to analyze the effects of high expression of the constitutively functional Arab...

M ovements of a swift kinase keep up with quick calcium bursts, based on fi ndings of Reither et al. (page 521). Cellular Ca 2+ signals come in many fl avors—from long-lasting global increases to waves to brief local plumes. Each fl avor is translated into a specifi c cellular response by Ca 2+ sensors, including calmodulin and conventional PKCs (cPKCs). Upon Ca 2+ binding, PKCα—a common cPKC—t...

Background—Excitation-contraction coupling in striated muscle requires proper communication of plasmalemmal voltage-activated Ca 2ϩ channels and Ca 2ϩ release channels on sarcoplasmic reticulum within junctional membrane complexes. Although previous studies revealed a loss of junctional membrane complexes and embryonic lethality in germ-line junctophilin-2 (JPH2) knockout mice, it has remained ...

The effects of pharmacological interventions that modulate Ca(2+) homeodynamics and membrane potential in rat isolated cerebral vessels during vasomotion (i.e., rhythmic fluctuations in arterial diameter) were simulated by a third-order system of nonlinear differential equations. Independent control variables employed in the model were [Ca(2+)] in the cytosol, [Ca(2+)] in intracellular stores, ...

Eugenol has antifungal activity and is recognised as having therapeutic potential. However, little is known of the cellular basis of its antifungal activity and a better understanding of eugenol tolerance should lead to better exploitation of eugenol in antifungal therapies. The model yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, expressing apoaequorin was used to show that eugenol induces cytosolic Ca(2+) ...

The ability to repair membrane damage is conserved across eukaryotic cells and is necessary for the cells to survive a variety of physiological and pathological membrane disruptions. Membrane repair is mediated by rapid Ca(2+)-triggered exocytosis of various intracellular vesicles, such as lysosomes and enlargeosomes, which lead to the formation of a membrane patch that reseals the membrane les...