AA	arachidonic acid
ACh	acetylincholine
AMPA	α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid
ARC	arachidonate-regulated calcium current
ATP	adenosine-triphosphate
BACCS	Blue light-activated Ca2+ channel switch
CAD	CRAC activation domain
CaM	Calmodulin
CIB1	cryptochrome-interacting basic helix-loop-helix 1
CRAC	Ca2+ relase-activated Ca2+ channel
CRY2	Cryptochrome 2
DAG	diacylglycerol
eOS1	enhanced OptoSTIM1
ER	endoplasmic reticulum
ESC	embryonic stem cell
FGFR1	fibroblast growth factor receptor 1
FMN	Flavin mononucleotide
FRET	Förster resonance energy transfer
GECA	genetically encoded actuator
GFP	green flourescent protein
HUVEC	human umbilical vein endothelial cell
iGluR	ionotropic glutamate receptor
iLID	improved light-induced dimer
IP3	inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate
LOCa	light-operated Ca2+ channel
LOV	Love-oxygen-voltage
LRC	LTC4-regulated calcium current
LTC4	leukotriene C4
monSTIM1	monster-OptoSTIM1
nAChR	nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
NFAT	Nuclear factor of activated T-cells
NMDR	N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor
PACR	photoactivatable Ca2+ releaser
PAS	Period-ARNT-Singleminded
PCB	phytocyanobilin
PCL	photochromic ligands
PHR	photolyase homology region
PL	photoswitchable ligand
PLC	Phospholipase C
PM	plasma membrane
PTL	photoswitchable tethered ligand
RGC	retinal ganglion cell
RTK	receptor tyrosine kinase
SICE	store independent calcium entry
SOAR	STIM1 Orai activating region
SOCE	store-operated calcium entry
STIM1	stromal interaction molecule
TM	transmembrane
TRP	transient receptor potential -A ankyrin; -C canonical; -M melastatin; -ML mucolipin; -PP polycystic; -V vanilloid
UCNP	upconversion nanoparticle
UVR8	UV resistance locus 8
VGCC	Voltage-gated ion channels