Macrophage calcium signaling dynamics revealed using genetically-encoded sensors

Genetically encoded calcium biosensors in mouse macrophages reveal physiologically relevant Ca2+ signal dynamics with strong heterogeneity and a remarkable degree of mechanosensitivity.

• Why it matters: Calcium signaling is linked to key macrophage functions, but the spatiotemporal features of physiologically relevant Ca2+ signals in these cells remain largely uncharacterized.
• What they did: The study used mouse models expressing genetic biosensors and fluorescently tagged channels to visualize macrophage Ca2+ dynamics, and analyzed Piezo1 channel knockout models across their lifetime.
• The result: Genetic ablation of Piezo1 channels is characterized for its physiological consequences, implying that mechanosensitive Ca2+ signaling contributes to macrophage function in vivo.