MOLECULAR ASPECTS AND DIVERSITY OF VOLTAGE-DEPENDENT CALCIUM CHANNELS

Ion channels, particularly those that conduct calcium, form the basis for fundamental cellular activity and regulation. The variety of volta ge-dependent calcium channels (VDCCs) generate transduction between ch anges in the membrane potential and intracellular activity. Although t he primary amino acid sequence of some of the L-type VDCCs is known, s tructure-function studies are in the preliminary stages of investigati on but have already revealed exciting fundamental information. The exp eriments and data reviewed here describe some important structural asp ects of the alpha1-subunit in terms of basic Ca2+ channel function as well as recently described modulatory effects arising from interaction s with the other channel subunits.