Abstract
Ca(2+) is a highly versatile intracellular signal that regulates many biological processes such as cell death and proliferation. Broad Ca(2+)-signaling machinery is used to assemble signaling systems with a precise spatial and temporal resolution to achieve this versatility. Ca(2+)-signaling components can be organized in different regions of the cell and local increases in Ca(2+) within the nucleus can regulate different cellular functions from the increases in cytosolic Ca(2+). However, the mechanisms and pathways that promote localized increases in Ca(2+) levels in the nucleus are still under investigation. This review presents evidence that the nucleus has its own Ca(2+) stores and signaling machinery, which modulate processes such as cell proliferation and tumor growth. We focus on what is known about the functions of nuclear Phospholipase C (PLC) in the generation of nuclear Ca(2+) transients that are involved in cell proliferation.