Calcium signaling pathways in the enteric nervous system.

The intracellular calcium level is an important regulator of cellular functioning, and its tight regulation occurs at several levels. Influx of extracellular calcium occurs via voltage-gated channels in response to a depolarization, and "capacitative" extracellular calcium occurs with cellular calcium depletion. Intracellular release of calcium also occurs through both the inositol trisphosphate- and ryanodine-sensitive stores of calcium. The following will detail these events and recent discoveries in Ca2+ signaling, and will specifically focus on their role in the functioning of the enteric nervous system.