Ca^2+释放激活Ca^2+(CRAC)通道是位于非兴奋性细胞质膜上的慢Ca^2+通道,是非兴奋性细胞(尤其T淋巴细胞和HEK 293细胞)中胞外Ca^2+进入细胞内的主要途径.Ca^2+内流是T淋巴细胞激活的最重要的生理生化特征之一.Orai1蛋白单体是组成CRAC通道的亚基,4个Orai1蛋白亚基构成一个四聚体CRAC通道.内质网Ca^2+浓度的降低使得STIM1发生定向运动并产生聚集,从而激活了CRAC通道.STIM1蛋白把内质网Ca^2+的损耗与CRAC通道上的Ca^2+内流联系起来,行使了Ca^2+浓度感受器的功能.
Calcium-release-activated calcium (CRAC) channel is a slow Ca^2+ channel, which locates in the plasma membrane in non-excitable cells. CRAC channel is the major Ca^2+ entry pathway in non-excitable cells, especially in T lymphocytes and HEK 293 ceils. Ca^2+ influx is one of the most important physiological-biochemical characteristics of T lymphocytes cell. Orail is the subunit of CRAC channel, and four Orail monomers constitute one tetrameric CRAC channel. STIM1 functions as the missing link hetween endoplasmic reticulum Ca^2+ depletion and CRAC influx. At present, STIM1 has been widely accepted as a Ca^2+ sensor that relays the store depletion information to plasma membrane and thus to activate CRAC channel.