The Role of Ca(2+) Signaling in Aging and Neurodegeneration: Insights from Caenorhabditis elegans Models

Ca(2+) is a ubiquitous second messenger that plays an essential role in physiological processes such as muscle contraction, neuronal secretion, and cell proliferation or differentiation. There is ample evidence that the dysregulation of Ca(2+) signaling is one of the key events in the development of neurodegenerative processes, an idea called the “calcium hypothesis” of neurodegeneration. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is a very good model for the study of aging and neurodegeneration. In fact, many of the signaling pathways involved in longevity were first discovered in this nematode, and many models of neurodegenerative diseases have also been developed therein, either through mutations in the worm genome or by expressing human proteins involved in neurodegeneration (β-amyloid, α-synuclein, polyglutamine, or others) in defined worm tissues. The worm is completely transparent throughout its whole life, which makes it possible to carry out Ca(2+) dynamics studies in vivo at any time, by expressing Ca(2+) fluorescent probes in defined worm tissues, and even in specific organelles such as mitochondria. This review will summarize the evidence obtained using this model organism to understand the role of Ca(2+) signaling in aging and neurodegeneration.