Mitochondrial junctions with cellular organelles: Ca2+ signalling perspective

Cellular organelles form multiple junctional complexes with one another and the emerging research area dealing with such structures and their functions is undergoing explosive growth. A new research journal named “Contact” has been recently established to facilitate the development of this research field. The current consensus is to define an organellar junction by the maximal distance between the participating organelles; and the gap of 30 nm or less is considered appropriate for classifying such structures as junctions or membrane contact sites. Ideally, the organellar junction should have a functional significance, i.e. facilitate transfer of calcium, sterols, phospholipids, iron and possibly other substances between the organelles (Carrasco and Meyer in Annu Rev Biochem 80:973–1000, 2011; Csordas et al. in Trends Cell Biol 28:523–540, 2018; Phillips and Voeltz in Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 17:69–82, 2016; Prinz in J Cell Biol 205:759–769, 2014). It is also important to note that the junction is not just a result of a random organelle collision but have active and specific formation, stabilisation and disassembly mechanisms. The nature of these mechanisms and their role in physiology/pathophysiology are the main focus of an emerging research field. In this review, we will briefly describe junctional complexes formed by cellular organelles and then focus on the junctional complexes that are formed by mitochondria with other organelles and the role of these complexes in regulating Ca2+ signalling.