Cell's power generator depends on long-sought protein: 50-year search for calcium channel ends
Sunday, June 19, 2011 - 12:00
in Biology & Nature
Mitochondria, those battery-pack organelles that fuel the energy of almost every living cell, have an insatiable appetite for calcium. Whether in a dish or a living organism, the mitochondria of most organisms eagerly absorb this chemical compound. Because calcium levels link to many essential biological processesnot to mention conditions such as neurological disease and diabetesscientists have been working for half a century to identify the molecular pathway that enables these processes.