New link between calcium and cardiolipin in heart defects

(Texas A&M AgriLife Communications) To function properly, the heart needs energy from cells' powerhouses, the mitochondria. In turn, mitochondria boost their energy output when calcium levels rise around them, a signal that more energy is needed. A new study shows that a shortage of cardiolipin, a type of fat, in the mitochondrial membrane, prevents calcium from entering mitochondria. The result helps explain heart and muscle weakness in the rare genetic disorder Barth syndrome.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news