Mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum choreography: structure and signaling dynamics.

Mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) have different roles in living cells but they interact both physically and functionally. A key aspect of the mitochondria-ER relationship is the modulation of Ca(2+) signaling during cell activation, which thus affects a variety of physiological processes. We focus here on the molecular aspects that control the dynamics of the organelle-organelle interaction and their relationship with Ca(2+) signals, also discussing the consequences that these phenomena have, not only for cell physiology but also in the control of cell death.