Calcium transfer between endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria in liver diseases

Abstract

Calcium (Ca2+) is a second messenger essential for cellular homeostasis. Inside the cell, Ca2+ is compartmentalized and exchanged among organelles in response to both external and internal stimuli. Mitochondria-associated membranes (MAMs) provide a platform for proteins and channels involved in Ca2+ transfer between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria. Deregulated Ca2+ signaling and proteins regulating ER–mitochondria interactions have been linked to liver diseases and intensively investigated in recent years. In this review, we summarize the role of MAM-resident proteins in Ca2+ transfer and their association with different liver diseases.