Microdomains of Ca2+, which are formed at sites where Ca2+ enters the cytoplasm either at
the cell surface or at the internal stores, are a key element of Ca2+ signalling. The term
microdomain includes the elementary events that are the basic building blocks of Ca2+
signals. As Ca2+ enters the cytoplasm, it produces a local plume of Ca2+ that has been
given different names (sparks, puffs, sparklets and syntillas). These elementary events can
combine to produce larger microdomains. The significance of these localized domains of …