Calcium is thought to regulate respiration but it is unclear whether this is dependent on the increase in ATP demand caused by any Ca2+ signal or to Ca2+ itself. [Na+]i, [Ca2+]i and [ATP]i dynamics in intact neurons exposed to different workloads in the absence and presence of Ca2+ clearly showed that Ca2+ stimulation of coupled respiration is required to maintain [ATP]i levels. Ca2+ may regulate respiration by activating metabolite transport in mitochondria from outer face of the inner mitochondrial membrane, or after Ca2+ entry in mitochondria through the calcium uniporter (MCU). Two Ca2+ regulated mitochondrial metabolite transporters are expressed in neurons, the aspartate/glutamate exchanger Aralar/AGC1/Slc25a12, a component of the malate/aspartate shuttle, with a Kd for Ca2+ activation of 300 nM, and the ATP Mg/Pi exchanger SCaMC3/Slc25a23, with S0.5 for Ca2+ of 300 nM and 3.4 μM, respectively. The lack of SCaMC3 results in a smaller Ca2+ dependent stimulation of respiration only at high workloads, as caused by veratridine, whereas the lack of ARALAR reduced by 46% basal OCR in intact neurons using glucose as energy source and the Ca2+ dependent responses to all workloads (veratridine, K+ depolarization, carbachol). The lack of ARALAR caused a reduction of about 65-70% in the response to the high workload imposed by veratridine, and completely suppressed the OCR responses to moderate (K+ depolarization) and small (carbachol) workloads, effects reverted by pyruvate supply. For K+ depolarization, this occurs in spite of the presence of large [Ca2+]mit signals and increased reduction of mitochondrial NAD(P)H. These results show that ARALAR/MAS is a major contributor of Ca2+ stimulated respiration in neurons by providing increased pyruvate supply to mitochondria. In its absence and under moderate workloads, matrix Ca2+ is unable to stimulate pyruvate metabolism and entry in mitochondria suggesting a limited role of MCU in these conditions.