Calcium ions are used as important signals during various physiological processes. In malaria parasites, Plasmodium spp., calcium dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) have acquired the unique ability to sense and transduce calcium signals at various critical steps during the lifecycle, either through phosphorylation of downstream substrates or mediating formation of high molecular weight protein complexes. Calcium signaling cascades establish important crosstalk events with signaling pathways mediated by other secondary messengers such as cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). CDPKs play critical roles at various important physiological steps during parasite development in vertebrates and mosquitoes. They are also important for transmission of the parasite between the two hosts. Combined with the fact that CDPKs are not present in humans, they continue to be pursued as important targets for development of anti-malarial drugs.

钙离子在各种生理过程中被用作重要信号。在疟原虫疟原虫属中，钙依赖性蛋白激酶（CDPK）已经获得了在生命周期的各个关键步骤中感知和转导钙信号的独特能力，无论是通过下游底物的磷酸化还是介导高分子量蛋白质复合物的形成。钙信号级联与其他次级信使（如环磷酸腺苷 (cAMP) 和环磷酸鸟苷 (cGMP)）介导的信号通路建立重要的串扰事件。CDPK 在脊椎动物和蚊子寄生虫发育过程中的各个重要生理步骤中发挥着关键作用。它们对于寄生虫在两个宿主之间的传播也很重要。再加上 CDPK 不存在于人体中，因此它们继续作为抗疟疾药物开发的重要靶标。