Component

Mitochondrial calcium uniporter pore protein / MCU

Independent biological entity. Read linked claims for experimental scope and context.

4 recorded relationships. Experimental role, claim status and evidence remain attached to each record.

Read recorded mechanisms Open recursive mind map

How nutrients influence it

Every nutrient with a recorded effect on this component, credited to the nutrient that acted rather than the chapter that recorded it. Open a nutrient to see the findings and the conditions they were measured under.

How nutrients reach it in more than one step

Chains of two or more recorded steps that end here, grouped by the nutrient they start from. Each step is a separate finding, so a chain is a route a mechanism could take, not proof that it does.

Tracing routes…

What it does

Every recorded relationship this component is part of, grouped by its role. Plain wording comes first; the technical statement follows.

Recorded relationships

What it acts on

  1. MCU silencing sharply reduces mitochondrial calcium uptake while membrane potential and respiration remain intact in the tested preparations.

    Mitochondrial calcium uniporter pore protein / MCU → Mitochondrial calcium uptake source_derived_draftungraded
    Experimental context and source evidence
    availability_state
    machinery_impairment Imported condition classification; unverified.
    compartment_description
    Inner mitochondrial membrane
    experimental_model
    Cultured mammalian cells and in vivo mouse-liver MCU silencing
    limitations
    No inference of universal respiratory failure or dietary calcium deficiency.
    nutrient_topic
    Calcium research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct dietary effect. · Calcium
    organism
    Homo sapiens and Mus musculus
    plain_language
    Removing MCU prevents rapid calcium uptake without necessarily collapsing the mitochondrion.
    primary_references
    [ca-baughman2011] Integrative genomics identifies MCU as an essential component of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (2011). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21685886/ DOI: 10.1038/nature10234
    research_relationship_category
    loss_of_function
    tissue_or_cell_type
    Cultured cells and mouse liver
    trigger_kind
    machinery_impairment Imported condition classification; unverified.

    Calcium: mechanism-first literature curation (2026-09-17) · lines 693–704

    AI-assisted literature curation; primary study URLs and scope retained in the document and extraction. Not publisher full text. · supports · Cultured mammalian cells and in vivo mouse-liver MCU silencing · source_derived_draft · unverified_draft

    ### ca-mcu-loss-matrix-uptake MCU silencing sharply reduces mitochondrial calcium uptake while membrane potential and respiration remain intact in the tested preparations. Condition category: machinery_impairment nutrient_topic: Calcium research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct dietary effect. plain_language: Removing MCU prevents rapid calcium uptake without necessarily collapsing the mitochondrion. organism: Homo sapiens and Mus musculus tissue_or_cell_type: Cultured cells and mouse liver experimental_model: Cultured mammalian cells and in vivo mouse-liver MCU silencing limitations: No inference of universal respiratory failure or dietary calcium deficiency. research_relationship_category: loss_of_function compartment_description: Inner mitochondrial membrane [ca-baughman2011] Integrative genomics identifies MCU as an essential component of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (2011). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21685886/ DOI: 10.1038/nature10234
    Complete structured claim and evidence

  2. MCU supplies the inner-mitochondrial-membrane calcium-conducting pore and promotes agonist-evoked matrix calcium uptake.

    Mitochondrial calcium uniporter pore protein / MCU → Calcium ion source_derived_draftungraded
    Experimental context and source evidence
    compartment_description
    Inner mitochondrial membrane
    experimental_model
    Human HeLa MCU silencing/overexpression and purified MCU in planar bilayers
    limitations
    Pore and overexpression evidence; native uptake also depends on accessory subunits and membrane potential.
    nutrient_topic
    Calcium research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct dietary effect. · Calcium
    organism
    Homo sapiens
    plain_language
    MCU lets calcium enter the mitochondrial matrix.
    primary_references
    [ca-destefani2011] A forty-kilodalton protein of the inner membrane is the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (2011). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21685888/ DOI: 10.1038/nature10230
    research_relationship_category
    transport
    tissue_or_cell_type
    HeLa cells and purified channel
    transport_effect
    raises Recorded as promoting agonist-evoked matrix calcium uptake.
    transport_or_reaction_direction
    Intermembrane space to mitochondrial matrix
    transport_pool
    mitochondrial matrix calcium Recorded as promoting agonist-evoked matrix calcium uptake.

    Calcium: mechanism-first literature curation (2026-09-17) · lines 679–691

    AI-assisted literature curation; primary study URLs and scope retained in the document and extraction. Not publisher full text. · supports · Human HeLa MCU silencing/overexpression and purified MCU in planar bilayers · source_derived_draft · unverified_draft

    ### ca-mcu-matrix-uptake MCU supplies the inner-mitochondrial-membrane calcium-conducting pore and promotes agonist-evoked matrix calcium uptake. Condition category: normal nutrient_topic: Calcium research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct dietary effect. plain_language: MCU lets calcium enter the mitochondrial matrix. organism: Homo sapiens tissue_or_cell_type: HeLa cells and purified channel experimental_model: Human HeLa MCU silencing/overexpression and purified MCU in planar bilayers limitations: Pore and overexpression evidence; native uptake also depends on accessory subunits and membrane potential. research_relationship_category: transport transport_or_reaction_direction: Intermembrane space to mitochondrial matrix compartment_description: Inner mitochondrial membrane [ca-destefani2011] A forty-kilodalton protein of the inner membrane is the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (2011). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21685888/ DOI: 10.1038/nature10230
    Complete structured claim and evidence

Where it participates (unsigned role)

  1. MICU1 limits MCU-dependent calcium uptake at low external calcium in the examined cell preparations.

    Mitochondrial calcium uptake protein 1 / MICU1 → Mitochondrial calcium uptake source_derived_draftungraded
    Experimental context and source evidence
    compartment_description
    Mitochondrial uniporter regulatory machinery
    experimental_model
    HeLa, HEK293 and human endothelial-cell knockdown; calcium-flux and stress assays
    limitations
    Threshold and molecular explanation are assay-dependent; see the separate MICU1 gating conflict.
    nutrient_topic
    Calcium research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct dietary effect. · Calcium
    organism
    Homo sapiens
    plain_language
    MICU1 helps prevent unnecessary calcium accumulation in resting mitochondria.
    primary_references
    [ca-mallilankaraman2012] MICU1 is an essential gatekeeper for MCU-mediated mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake that regulates cell survival (2012). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23101630/ DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.10.011
    research_relationship_category
    regulation
    tissue_or_cell_type
    HeLa, HEK293 and endothelial cells

    Calcium: mechanism-first literature curation (2026-09-17) · lines 706–717

    AI-assisted literature curation; primary study URLs and scope retained in the document and extraction. Not publisher full text. · supports · HeLa, HEK293 and human endothelial-cell knockdown; calcium-flux and stress assays · source_derived_draft · unverified_draft

    ### ca-micu1-basal-uptake-restraint MICU1 limits MCU-dependent calcium uptake at low external calcium in the examined cell preparations. Condition category: normal nutrient_topic: Calcium research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct dietary effect. plain_language: MICU1 helps prevent unnecessary calcium accumulation in resting mitochondria. organism: Homo sapiens tissue_or_cell_type: HeLa, HEK293 and endothelial cells experimental_model: HeLa, HEK293 and human endothelial-cell knockdown; calcium-flux and stress assays limitations: Threshold and molecular explanation are assay-dependent; see the separate MICU1 gating conflict. research_relationship_category: regulation compartment_description: Mitochondrial uniporter regulatory machinery [ca-mallilankaraman2012] MICU1 is an essential gatekeeper for MCU-mediated mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake that regulates cell survival (2012). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23101630/ DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.10.011
    Complete structured claim and evidence

  2. MICU1 knockdown elevates basal matrix calcium through MCU-dependent uptake in the tested cells.

    Mitochondrial calcium uptake protein 1 / MICU1 → Mitochondrial calcium overload source_derived_draftungraded
    Experimental context and source evidence
    availability_state
    machinery_impairment Imported condition classification; unverified.
    compartment_description
    Mitochondrial matrix
    experimental_model
    HeLa, HEK293 and human endothelial-cell knockdown; calcium-flux and stress assays
    limitations
    Cell-specific knockdown response; does not imply high dietary calcium or all MICU1 variants behave identically.
    nutrient_topic
    Calcium research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct dietary effect. · Calcium
    organism
    Homo sapiens
    plain_language
    Loss of MICU1 can let mitochondria accumulate too much calcium at rest.
    primary_references
    [ca-mallilankaraman2012] MICU1 is an essential gatekeeper for MCU-mediated mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake that regulates cell survival (2012). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23101630/ DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.10.011
    research_relationship_category
    loss_of_function
    tissue_or_cell_type
    HeLa and endothelial cells
    trigger_kind
    machinery_impairment Imported condition classification; unverified.

    Calcium: mechanism-first literature curation (2026-09-17) · lines 719–730

    AI-assisted literature curation; primary study URLs and scope retained in the document and extraction. Not publisher full text. · supports · HeLa, HEK293 and human endothelial-cell knockdown; calcium-flux and stress assays · source_derived_draft · unverified_draft

    ### ca-micu1-loss-overload MICU1 knockdown elevates basal matrix calcium through MCU-dependent uptake in the tested cells. Condition category: machinery_impairment nutrient_topic: Calcium research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct dietary effect. plain_language: Loss of MICU1 can let mitochondria accumulate too much calcium at rest. organism: Homo sapiens tissue_or_cell_type: HeLa and endothelial cells experimental_model: HeLa, HEK293 and human endothelial-cell knockdown; calcium-flux and stress assays limitations: Cell-specific knockdown response; does not imply high dietary calcium or all MICU1 variants behave identically. research_relationship_category: loss_of_function compartment_description: Mitochondrial matrix [ca-mallilankaraman2012] MICU1 is an essential gatekeeper for MCU-mediated mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake that regulates cell survival (2012). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23101630/ DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.10.011
    Complete structured claim and evidence

In the sources

Preserved passages that mention this component, quoted exactly. Open one to read it in context.

    This is a research prototype built from draft material. It is not medical advice, and its statements still await verification against the original studies.

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