[Luminous plant and animals or the expression of aequorin and "chameleon" probes: a new light in calcium signaling]. / Les plantes et les animaux lumineux ou l'expression de l'aequorine et des sondes "caméléon": Un nouvel éclairage sur la signalisation calcique.

ABSTRACT

Calcium ion is a universal second messenger in numerous cell physiological processes. The paper describes the structure and the activation mechanisms of the bioluminescent (aequorin) and fluorescent based GFP calcium sensitive probes (Cameleon) and the data obtained with such probes in genetically transformed animal and vegetal organisms. The importance of these in vivo Ca2+ imaging molecules in the understanding of calcium signalling is discussed.