Mitochondrial Ca2+ and apoptosis

Here, we review as different proteins that participate in mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis and in turn modulate the effectiveness of Ca2+-dependent apoptotic stimuli. Strikingly, the final outcome at the cellular level is similar, albeit through completely different molecular mechanisms: a reduced mitochondrial Ca2+ overload upon pro-apoptotic stimuli that dramatically blunts the apoptotic response.