Calcium pump Calcium pump Calcium pumps are a family of ion transporters found in the cell membrane of all animal cells. They are responsible for the active transport of calcium out of the cell for the maintenance of the steep Ca electrochemical gradient across the cell membrane. Calcium pumps play a crucial role in proper cell signalling by keeping the intracellular calcium concentration roughly 10,000 times lower than the extracellular concentration. Failure to do so is one cause of muscle cramps. The plasma membrane Ca ATPase and the sodium-calcium exchanger are together the main regulators of intracellular Ca concentrations. Ca has many
Calcium lactate Calcium lactate Calcium lactate is a white crystalline salt with formula , consisting of two lactate anions (CHOH) for each calcium cation . It forms several hydrates, the most common being the pentahydrate ·5. Calcium lactate is used in medicine, mainly to treat calcium deficiencies; and as a food additive with E number of E327. Some cheese crystals consist of calcium lactate. The lactate ion is chiral, with two enantiomers, D (−,"R") and L (+,"S"). The L isomer is the one normally synthesized and metabolized by living organisms, but some bacteria can produce the D form or convert the L