Onco-IP3Rs Feed Cancerous Cravings for Mitochondrial Ca2+

The uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells requires functional mitochondrial metabolism, which uses Ca2+ as a cofactor. IP3 receptors (IP(3)Rs) from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ stores provide the supply of Ca2+ to mitochondria. A new study by Cardenas et al. shows that, in contrast to normal cells, cancer cells critically depend on ER-mitochondrial Ca2+ fluxes for their survival by sustaining the production of mitochondrial substrates used for nucleotide biosynthesis and proliferation.