Calreticulin is a minor Ca(2+)-binding protein of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and is recognized as a multifunctional protein, most abundant in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER).

Function

The protein has well-recognized physiological roles in the ER as a molecular chaperone and Ca(2+)-signalling molecule. It has also been found in other membrane-bound organelles, at the cell surface and in the extracellular environment, where it has been shown to exert a number of physiological and pathological effects.

References

 Johnson S, Michalak M, Opas M, Eggleton P. The ins and outs of calreticulin: from the ER lumen to the extracellular space. Trends Cell Biol. 2001 Mar;11(3):122-9. PMID: #11306273#