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Calreticulin: not just another calcium-binding protein

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Abstract

In this paper we review some of the rapidly expanding information about calreticulin, a Ca2+-binding/storage protein of the endoplasmic reticulum. The emphasis is placed on the structure and function of calreticulin. We believe that calreticulin is a multifunctional Ca2+-binding protein and that distinct functional properties of the protein may be localized to each of the three structural domains of calreticulin. Most evidence indicates that calreticulin is a resident endoplasmic reticulum protein. However, it can also be found outside of the endoplasmic reticulum compartment, i.e. in the nuclear envelope, in the nucleus, in the cytotoxic granules in T-lymphocytes and in acrosomal vesicles of sperm cells. The evidence reviewed here clearly suggests that calreticulin has other functions in addition to its role as a Ca2+ storage protein in the endoplasmic reticulum.

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Abbreviations

SR:

sarcoplasmic reticulum

ER:

endoplasmic reticulum

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiovascular Disease Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, 424 Heritage Medical Research Center, University of Alberta, T6G 2S2, Edmonton, Alberta

    Piers D. Nash & Marek Michalak

  2. Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Toronto, M5S 1A8, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Michal Opas

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  1. Piers D. Nash
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  2. Michal Opas
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Nash, P.D., Opas, M. & Michalak, M. Calreticulin: not just another calcium-binding protein. Mol Cell Biochem 135, 71–78 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00925962

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