Serca2 deletion in the mouse adult Bmi1 + compartment induces a lethal phenotype involving a severe gastric dysfunction

BACKGROUND Cytoplasmic calcium ions (Ca2+) are well-known intracellular signalling molecules, being involved in the integration of a variety of metabolic, proliferative and survival signals. They have been demonstrated an important role in embryonic and most adult stem cells (ASC). In the gut, it has been long recognized that Ca2+ handling is critical for the generation of pacemaker activity by Cajal interstitial cells. More recently, some studies in have shown that cytosolic Ca2+ plays a centra