The coral physiology team publishes the first-ever measurements of intracellular calcium concentrations in corals
Calcium plays a vital role in cell communication across all living organisms. In corals, the regulation of intracellular calcium is likely central to both coral symbiosis and calcification, processes that are essential for the survival of coral reef ecosystems. Surprisingly, however, intracellular calcium levels have never been measured in corals or related organisms.
Researchers from the Coral Physiology team at the Centre Scientifique de Monaco took on the challenge of making the first-ever measurements of calcium inside coral cells. To achieve this, they developed a specialized method using fluorescent dyes and advanced imaging techniques with the CSM’s state-of-the-art confocal microscope.
After months of meticulous technical refinement, the team achieved significant results, marking a major advancement in coral cell biology. In addition to successfully measuring calcium levels in healthy coral cells, they were also able to examine cells in the early stages of ‘cell death.’ This research opens the door for future studies on how coral cells respond to stress.
The team has published their findings in the international Journal of Experimental Biology.
Article :
Venn A. A., Techer N., Segonds N., Tambutté E., Tambutté S. Quantification of cytosolic ‘free’ calcium in isolated coral cells with confocal microscopy. Journal of Experimental Biology, jeb.247638
For further information, please contact :
Dr Sylvie Tambutté
Dr Alexander Venn
