What happens to second messengers after signaling?

After signaling, several things may happen to second messengers. The second messenger may rapidly diffuse to target proteins in other areas within the cell, and in turn alter the activity as a response to new information received by the receptor. For example, inositol triphosphate can diffuse freely within the cytoplasm, allowing it to reach their target proteins. Second messengers may also be rapidly degraded by enzymes in the cell by metabolizing or isolating them from target molecules. Calcium ions may also be reuptake into the ER to help restore calcium homeostasis in the cell. It is important to note that second messengers differ in the mechanism in which they are produced and removed.