To live or to die? This crucial question eloquently reflects the dual role of Ca2+ in living
organisms–survival factor or ruthless killer. It has long been known that Ca2+ signals govern …

The ability to control cell volume is pivotal for cell function. Cell volume perturbation elicits a
wide array of signaling events, leading to protective (eg, cytoskeletal rearrangement) and …

Membrane structural integrity is essential for optimal mitochondrial function. These
organelles produce the energy needed for all vital processes, provided their outer and inner …

The Bcl-2 family of proteins is formed by pro-and antiapoptotic members. Together they
regulate the permeabilization of the mitochondrial outer membrane, a key step in apoptosis …

Mitochondria have been classically characterized as organelles with responsibility for
cellular energy production in the form of ATP, but they are also the organelles through which …

Cell shrinkage is a hallmark and contributes to signaling of apoptosis. Apoptotic cell
shrinkage requires ion transport across the cell membrane involving K+ channels, Cl− or …

Activation of effector caspases is a final step during apoptosis. Single‐cell imaging studies
have demonstrated that this process may occur as a rapid, all‐or‐none response, triggering …

The ER is one of the most important folding compartments within the cell, as well as an
intracellular Ca^(2+) storage organelle and it contains a number of Ca^(2+) regulated …

The control of apoptosis in mammals has been historically associated with the activity of the
BCL-2 family of proteins at the mitochondria. In the past years, a novel group of cell death …

Although natural and synthetic ionophores are widely exploited in cell studies, for example,
to influence cytoplasmic free calcium concentrations and to depolarize in situ mitochondria …