Abstract
Ca(2+) is a ubiquitous, dynamic and pluripotent second messenger with highly context-dependent roles in complex cellular processes such as differentiation, proliferation, and cell death. These Ca(2+) signals are generated by Ca(2+)-permeable channels located on the plasma membrane (PM) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and shaped by PM- and ER-localized pumps and transporters. Differences in the expression of these Ca(2+) homeostasis proteins contribute to cell and context-dependent differences in the spatiotemporal organization of Ca(2+) signals and, ultimately, cell fate. This review focuses on the Early Growth Response (EGR) family of zinc finger transcription factors and their role in the transcriptional regulation of Stromal Interaction Molecule (STIM1), a critical regulator of Ca(2+) entry in both excitable and non-excitable cells.