Cellular magnesium homeostasis

Magnesium, the second most abundant cellular cation after potassium, is essential to regulate numerous cellular functions and enzymes, including ion channels, metabolic cycles, and signaling pathways, as attested by more than 1000 entries in the literature. Despite significant recent progress, however, our understanding of how cells regulate Mg2+ homeostasis and transport still remains incomplete. For example, the occurrence of major fluxes of Mg2+ in either direction across the plasma membrane of mammalian cells following metabolic or hormonal stimuli has been extensively documented. Yet, the mechanisms ultimately responsible for magnesium extrusion across the cell membrane have not been cloned. Even less is known about the regulation in cellular organelles. The present review is aimed at providing the reader with a comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of the mechanisms enacted by eukaryotic cells to regulate cellular Mg2+ homeostasis and how these mechanisms are altered under specific pathological conditions.

► Magnesium is essential to regulate numerous cellular functions and enzymes.
► Magnesium is highly compartmentalized within cytoplasm and cellular organelles.
► Metabolic or hormonal stimuli elicit major Mg2+ fluxes across the cell membrane.
► A major loss of cellular and serum Mg2+ occurs in alcoholism and other diseases.