Aims At the end of this lecture, the student should be able to state processes needing a Ca 2+ rise for a cellular response; explain the role of the extracellular Ca 2+ and how it can be sensed by cells; contrast the latter to that of the intracellular Ca 2+ ; review mechanisms that result in a rise or clearance of [Ca 2+ ] i ; discuss the mechanisms of subcellular Ca 2+ sequestration; describe how buffers affect the diffusion of free Ca and its implication to cell signalling; and show how Ca 2+ can be measured using fluorescence techniques.
