Calcium and Its Relevance to Biological Systems

Abstract

Before exploring the relevance of the advances which have been made in the field of calcium antagonism, particularly with respect to the development of novel compounds which differ from the prototype calcium antagonists in terms of selectivity, duration of action, potency or some other way, it is perhaps worth considering briefly the general significance of calcium with regard to its involvement in biological systems in general. At the outset it should be noted that calcium can function in two modes:

• (I) a structure stabilizing form — as in bone, for example, and

• (II) a signal transducing mode — as, for example, when calcium ions (Ca²⁺) activate muscle contraction.

“To the early philosophers let due honour be paid, for by them wisdom has been handed down to posterity.”

William Gilbert (1544–1603)