Besides its primary function in maintaining systemic calcium homeostasis, the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) is expressed by many cell types, with different, sometimes opposite, regulatory functions. Novel work from Oh and collaborators shows that activation of CaSR in podocytes has prosurvival effects and protects the cell from puromycin aminonucleoside damage. Given that the cellular consequences of CaSR activation are largely context-dependent, further studies will be required to elucidate its precise role in podocyte physiology and pathophysiology.