Forms and functions of store-operated calcium entry mediators, STIM and Orai

Calcium signals arise by multiple mechanisms, including mechanisms of release of intracellular stored Ca2+, and the influx of Ca2+ through channels in the plasma membrane. One mechanism that links these two sources of Ca2+ is store-operated Ca2+ entry, the most commonly encountered version of which involves the extensively studied calcium-release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channel. The minimal and essential molecular components of the CRAC channel are the STIM proteins that function as Ca2+ sensors in the endoplasmic reticulum, and the Orai proteins that comprise the pore forming subunits of the CRAC channel. CRAC channels are known to play significant roles in a wide variety of physiological functions. This review discusses the multiple forms of STIM and Orai proteins encountered in mammalian cells, and discusses some specific examples of how these proteins modulate or mediate important physiological processes.