Calcium, the most abundant mineral in the body, is found in some foods, added to others, available as a dietary supplement, and present in some medicines (such as antacids). Calcium is required for muscle contraction, blood vessel expansion and contraction, secretion of hormones and enzymes, and transmitting impulses throughout the nervous system. The body strives to maintain constant concentrations of calcium in blood, muscle, and intercellular fluids, though less than <1% of total body calcium is needed to support these functions.
The remaining 99% of the body's calcium supply is stored in the bones and teeth where it supports their structure. Bone itself undergoes continuous remodeling, with constant resorption and deposition of calcium into new bone. The balance between bone resorption and deposition changes with age. Bone formation exceeds resorption in growing children, whereas in early and middle adulthood both processes are relatively equal. In aging adults, particularly among postmenopausal women, bone breakdown exceeds formation, resulting in bone loss that increases the risk of osteoporosis over time.
Scientists have revealed the secret to the structural integrity of tiny particles that transport cargo from cell to cell through blood vessels and bodily fluids: special proteins that keep their membranes intact as they negotiate shifting electrical impulses in different biological environments.
Calcium-dependent signaling in S. rosetta uncovers mechanisms of cellular coordination, shedding light on the evolution of multicellularity and sensory systems.
A researcher at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson was awarded a $1.9 million grant by the National Institutes of Health to carry out more research on the mysteries of copper, particularly how it can be used to eradicate dangerous bacteria and other microorganisms.
A new study published in Science Advances reveals evidence of electrical signaling and coordinated behavior in choanoflagellates, the closest living relatives of animals.
Researchers at University of California San Diego have developed and tested a new software package, called Spatial Modeling Algorithms for Reactions and Transport (SMART), that can realistically simulate cell-signaling networks -; the complex systems of molecular interactions that allow cells to respond to diverse cues from their environment.
The decades-old anesthetic ketamine could be a game changer for treating severe depression, but there are still many questions about how the drug works, including exactly how it affects the brain's cells and circuits.
Cleveland Clinic researchers have found definitive proof of a kidney microbiome that influences renal health and kidney stone formation, demonstrating that the urinary tract is not sterile and low levels of bacteria are normal.
LMU researchers have discovered how the interplay between a key protein and an endolysosomal ion channel promotes tumor development in skin cancer.
Newly discovered mechanism helps detach and recycle parts of cellular canal membranes as needed – models developed using supercomputer simulations.
Research reveals that frequent high-potency cannabis use alters DNA methylation, affecting mitochondrial and immune genes, with implications for mental health.
Findings indicate nociceptors detect viral nucleic acids, activating STING and TRPV1, highlighting new pain mechanisms in viral infections like HSV-1.
Plants control their water consumption via adjustable pores (stomata), which are formed from pairs of guard cells.
The introduction of magnetogenetics provides a noninvasive technique to modulate brain circuits, paving the way for innovative therapies in neuromodulation.
In human, animal, and plant cells, calcium ions play a crucial role as messengers. They support the regulation of essential functions like heartbeats, stress reactions, and nerve impulses.
Research by Stony Brook Medicine nephrology specialists may help prevent or reduce diabetic kidney disease progression by targeting cellular signaling between kidney cells and inducing a specific gene.
In a recent discovery, a study team from Kyushu University in Japan has shed light on how the systems defend against illness and injury by identifying a calcium-based mechanism that is essential to the removal of dead cells.
In 2021, the Janelia group leaders reported that they had developed a way to combine Schreiter's engineered protein biosensors and Lavis's bright, fluorescent Janelia Fluor dyes.
Researchers at the Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS) at Kyoto University have discovered new information regarding how cells control the distribution of lipids in their cell membrane.
Potassium isotope ratios in serum show promise as biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease, revealing significant differences between patients and healthy controls.
Study of python cardiac responses to feeding uncovers structural and epigenetic changes, enhancing understanding of heart disease and therapeutic applications.
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