Mitochondrial pharmacology turns its sights on the Ca2+ uniporter

Opening paragraph…To use a well-known phrase, mitochondria are the ‘power house of the cell’ and produce ATP, the energetic currency of life.1 Although this is a vital role, mitochondria also have many other crucial roles including cell death pathways such as collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential by opening the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). These roles are profoundly affected by the entry of calcium into the mitochondria. Mitochondrial calcium increases the likelihood of mPTP opening, regulation of metabolic rate by activation of metabolic enzymes (dehydrogenases), reactive oxygen species production, signalling (Ca-calmodulin) and influencing the pattern of global calcium oscillations in response to receptor stimulation.