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Abstract
Studies on control of fluid secretion by an insect salivary gland led to the discovery
of inositol trisphosphate (IP3) and its role in calcium signalling. Many cell stimuli
act on receptors that are coupled to phospholipase C that hydrolyses phosphatidylinosol
4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) to release IP3 to the cytosol. IP3 receptors located on the
endoplasmic reticulum respond to this elevation of IP3 by releasing Ca2+, which is
often organized into characteristic spatial (elementary events and waves) and temporal
(Ca2+ oscillations) patterns. This IP3/Ca2+ pathway is a remarkably versatile signalling
system that has been adapted to control processes as diverse as fertilization, proliferation,
contraction, cell metabolism, vesicle and fluid secretion and information processing
in neuronal cells.