Calcium Regulation in the Cardiac Cell (Homo sapiens)

Calcium is a common signaling mechanism, as once it enters the cytoplasm it exerts allosteric regulatory affects on many enzymes and proteins. Calcium can act in signal transduction after influx resulting from activation of ion channels or as a second messenger caused by indirect signal transduction pathways such as G protein-coupled receptors. Movement of calcium ions from the extracellular compartment to the intracellular compartment alters membrane depolarisation. This is seen in the heart, during the plateau phase of ventricular contraction. In this example, calcium acts to maintain depolarisation of the heart.

• Homo sapiens
• Physiological Process