Role of calcium permeable channels in dendritic cell migration

•Calcium ions (Ca2+) control migration of dendritic cells.•Ca2+ channels are differentially associated to distinct stages of dendritic cell migration.•Non-selective Ca2+ channels contribute to migration-associated Ca2+ signaling.•Mechanosensitive Ca2+ channels might contribute to migration under confinement.•Inter-organelle crosstalk might be essential to modulate the migratory features of dendritic cells. Calcium ion (Ca2+) is an essential second messenger involved in multiple cellular and subcellular processes. Ca2+ can be released and sensed globally or locally within cells, providing complex signals of variable amplitudes and time-scales. The key function of Ca2+ in the regulation of acto-myosin contractility has provided a simple explanation for its role in the regulation of immune cell migration. However, many questions remain, including the identity of the Ca2+ stores, channels and upstream signals involved in this process. Here, we focus on dendritic cells (DCs), because their immune sentinel function heavily relies on their capacity to migrate within tissues and later on between tissues and lymphoid organs. Deciphering the mechanisms by which cytoplasmic Ca2+ regulate DC migration should shed light on their role in initiating and tuning immune responses.