UCPs - unlikely calcium porters

The mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) has been characterized for several decades1, but the molecule responsible for this transport activity is currently unknown. Therefore, a recent Nature Cell Biology paper by Trenker et al. reporting a role for uncoupling proteins (UCP2/3) in mitochondrial Ca2+ uniport generated much excitement in the field. Subsequently, the authors contend that Ca2+ transport accounts for most of the physiological effects assigned to UCPs. [nota: viene riportati il 1° paragrafo, si tratta di una lettera a Nature Cell Biology che non ha abstract].