Participation of mitochondria in calcium signalling in the exocrine pancreas.

This minireview is an attempt to put together some of the recent advances regarding the implications of mitochondria in Ca2+ homeostasis. Although the main role of this cytoplasmic organelle is ATP supply to the cell, during the past years strong evidence has been accumulated supporting an active role of these organelles in Ca2+ handling by the cell. The discovery of mitochondrial specific fluorescent dyes has permitted the study of these organelles within living cells. Due to its ubiquitous localisation within the cytosol, mitochondria would play an important role in the modulation of the subcellular patterns of Ca2+ signalling, and therefore would act as modulators of Ca2+-dependent cellular processes.