Calcium-induced calcium release Calcium-induced calcium release Calcium-induced calcium release (CICR) describes a biological process whereby calcium is able to activate calcium release from intracellular Ca stores (e.g., endoplasmic reticulum or sarcoplasmic reticulum). Although CICR was first proposed for skeletal muscle in the 1970s, it is now known that CICR is unlikely to be its primary mechanism for activating SR calcium release. Instead, CICR is thought to be crucial for excitation-contraction coupling in cardiac muscle and it is now obvious that CICR is a widely occurring cellular signaling process present even in many non-muscle cells, e.g. in the insulin-secreting pancreatic beta cells and many
Calcium carbide as in bamboo cannons. In the Netherlands calcium carbide is used around new-year to shoot with milk churns. Calcium carbide, together with calcium phosphide, is used in floating, self-igniting naval signal flares, such as those produced by the Holmes' Marine Life Protection Association. Calcium carbide Calcium carbide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula of CaC. Its main use industrially is in the production of acetylene and calcium cyanamide. The pure material is colorless, however pieces of technical-grade calcium carbide are grey or brown and consist of about 80–85% of CaC (the rest is CaO (calcium oxide), CaP (calcium