3. Why do you suppose cells use Ca2+ (intracellular concentration 10-7 M) for signaling rather than the more abundant Na+ (intracellular concentration 10-3 M)?
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CaĀ²āŗ is maintained at a very low concentration (~10ā»ā· M), whereas Naāŗ is present at a much higher concentration (~10ā»Ā³ M). Show moreā¦
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Why do you suppose cells use $\mathrm{Ca}^{2+}$ (which is kept by $\mathrm{Ca}^{2+}$ pumps at a cytosolic concentration of $10^{-7} \mathrm{M}$ ) for intracellular signaling and not another ion such as $\mathrm{Na}^{+}$ (which is kept by the $\mathrm{Na}^{+}$ pump at a cytosolic concentration of $\left.10^{-3} \mathrm{M}\right) ?$
Why do you suppose cells have evolved intracellular $\mathrm{Ca}^{2+}$ stores for signaling even though there is abundant extracellular $\mathrm{Ca}^{2+}$ ?
Calcium is small and diffuses very easily out of the cell, so how is it able to stay in the cytoplasm as a local signal?
Madhur L.
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