Emerging Alternative Functions for the Auxiliary Subunits of the Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels

Franz Hofmann; Anouar Belkacemi; Veit Flockerzi

doi:10.2174/1874467208666150507110202

Emerging Alternative Functions for the Auxiliary Subunits of the Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels

Curr Mol Pharmacol. 2015;8(2):162-8. doi: 10.2174/1874467208666150507110202.

Authors

Franz Hofmann¹, Anouar Belkacemi, Veit Flockerzi

Affiliation

¹ Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, TU München, Biedersteiner Str. 29, 80802 München, Germany. Franz.Hofmann@mytum.de.

PMID: 25966689
DOI: 10.2174/1874467208666150507110202

Abstract

Voltage gated calcium channels (Cav) are composed of up to five proteins: The ion conducting pore subunit α1 and the auxiliary subunits α2, δ, β, and γ. Recent reports show that Cavα1 and Cavβ comprise the calcium channel core complex and that β, α2 δ and γ may serve additional roles that are independent of the Cavα1 subunit. This short review will summarize these emerging functions.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Calcium / metabolism*
Calcium Channels / metabolism
Calcium Channels / physiology*
Humans
Ion Channel Gating / physiology*
Models, Biological
Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism*
Myocardium / metabolism
Protein Binding
Protein Subunits / metabolism
Protein Subunits / physiology

Substances

Calcium Channels
Protein Subunits
Calcium