Mitochondrial calcium at the synapse
Abstract
Mitochondria are dynamic organelles, which serve various purposes, including but not limited to the production of ATP and various metabolites, buffering ions, acting as a signaling hub, etc. In recent years, mitochondria are being seen as the central regulators of cellular growth, development, and death. Since neurons are highly specialized cells with a heavy metabolic demand, it is not surprising that neurons are one of the most mitochondria-rich cells in an animal. At synapses, mitochondrial function and dynamics is tightly regulated by synaptic calcium. Calcium influx during synaptic activity causes increased mitochondrial calcium influx leading to an increased ATP production as well as buffering of synaptic calcium. While increased ATP production is required during synaptic transmission, calcium buffering by mitochondria is crucial to prevent faulty neurotransmission and excitotoxicity. Interestingly, mitochondrial calcium also regulates the mobility of mitochondria within synapses causing mitochondria to halt at the synapse during synaptic transmission. In this review, we summarize the various roles of mitochondrial calcium at the synapse.
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Ca2+ activates mitochondrial metabolism and stimulates ATP synthesis.
“Ca2+ activates mitochondrial metabolism and stimulates ATP synthesis”
From CYFIP1 governs the development of cortical axons by modulating calcium availability (2025) · cites this paper as [51]
Mitochondria buffer cytosolic calcium.
“mitochondria also buffer cytosolic calcium51,103,104.”
From CYFIP1 governs the development of cortical axons by modulating calcium availability (2025) · cites this paper as [51]
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CYFIP1 governs the development of cortical axons by modulating calcium availability
Ricci, C., Midroit, M. J., Caicci, F., Achsel, T., Domínguez-Iturza, N., & Bagni, C. (2025) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/s41467-025-65801-0 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“This process activates several enzymes involved in the mitochondrial electron transport chain, triggering ATP production 51 .”
- Authors
- Datta, S., & Jaiswal, M.
- Affiliations
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (IN)
- Corresponding author
- Jaiswal, Manish
- Venue
- Mitochondrion
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2021-07
- Volume
- 59
- Pages
- 135-153
- ISSN
- 1567-7249 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3159823883
- Cited by
- 73
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 2
- FWCI
- 1.05
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Mitochondrion (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Science and Engineering Research Board (CRG/2020/003275)
- Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India (BT/RLF/Re-entry/06/2016)
- Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India (RTI 4007)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Physiology › Calcium signaling and nucleotide metabolism
- Keywords
- mitochondrial calcium, synapses, mitochondrial calcium uptake, ATP production, excitotoxicity, neurotransmission, mitochondrial dynamics, neurons, synaptic transmission
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Calcium, Humans, Mitochondria, Synaptic Transmission, Synapses, Mitochondrial Dynamics
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