Calcium Signaling in Interstitial Cells: Focus on Telocytes
Beatrice Mihaela Radu, Adela Banciu, Daniel Dumitru Banciu, Mihai Radu, Dragos Cretoiu, Sanda Maria Cretoiu
This review describes how calcium signaling in interstitial cells like telocytes helps regulate rhythmic body functions and may contribute to various diseases.
In this review, we describe the current knowledge on calcium signaling pathways in interstitial cells with a special focus on interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs), interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLCs), and telocytes. In detail, we present the generation of Ca2+ oscillations, the inositol triphosphate (IP₃)/Ca2+ signaling pathway and modulation exerted by cytokines and vasoactive agents on calcium signaling in interstitial cells. We discuss the physiology and alterations of calcium signaling in interstitial cells, and in particular in telocytes. We describe the physiological contribution of calcium signaling in interstitial cells to the pacemaking activity (e.g., intestinal, urinary, uterine or vascular pacemaking activity) and to the reproductive function. We also present the pathological contribution of calcium signaling in interstitial cells to the aortic valve calcification or intestinal inflammation. Moreover, we summarize the current knowledge of the role played by calcium signaling in telocytes in the uterine, cardiac and urinary physiology, and also in various pathologies, including immune response, uterine and cardiac pathologies.
The first episode of the English podcast “The Fascia Guide”. The Fascia Guide is a podcast about the living body, about new research and a new perspective on health, pain and what…
Understanding the living body is quite a complex thing – but there is a simple way to understand the function of the body by understanding Fascia. In simple terms, Fascia helps th…