Abstract

Alterations in the cytosolic concentration of calcium ions (Ca²⁺) transmit information that is crucial for the development and function of B cells. Cytosolic Ca²⁺ concentration is determined by a balance of active transport and gradient-driven Ca²⁺ fluxes, both of which are subject to the influence of multiple receptors and environmental sensing pathways. Recent advances in genomics have allowed for the compilation of an increasingly comprehensive list of Ca²⁺ transporters and channels expressed by B cells. The increasing understanding of the function and regulation of these proteins has begun to shift the frontier of Ca²⁺ physiology in B cells from molecular analysis to determining how diverse inputs to cytosolic Ca²⁺ concentration are integrated in specific immunological contexts.

Author affiliations

1. Departments of Pediatrics and Immunology, University of Washington School of Medicine and Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Suite 300, 307 Westlake Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA.

Correspondence to: Andrew M. Scharenberg¹ Email: andrewms@u.washington.edu

Correspondence to: David J. Rawlings¹ Email: drawling@u.washington.edu