Calcium pump

Calcium pumps are a family of ion transporters found in the cell membrane of all animal cells. They are responsible for the active transport of calcium out of the cell for the maintenance of the steep Ca2+ electrochemical gradient across the cell membrane. Calcium pumps play a crucial role in proper cell signalling by keeping the intracellular calcium concentration roughly 10,000 times lower than the extracellular concentration. Essentially, calcium pumps use energy to transport calcium across cell membranes, which allows the body to perform tasks that would otherwise be difficult to perform. Failure for the body to transport sufficient amounts of calcium is one cause of muscle cramps.

The plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase and the sodium-calcium exchanger are together the main regulators of cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentrations.

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