ABSTRACT
Ca2+ is an ubiquitous second messenger contributing to the control of a wide array of cellular processes, including fertilization, cell proliferation, differentiation, neural activity, muscle contraction, and secretion. Ca2+ exerts its effects by high affinity binding to target proteins changing their conformation and activity, either directly or through covalent modification. In many cases the effect of Ca2+ also includes modulation of the rate of protein synthesis and degradation, thereby changing their cellular concentration.
