Molecular diversity of voltage-gated calcium channels

Voltage-gated calcium channels are involved in a large variety of cellular functions such as excitation-contraction coupling, hormone secretion. firin g and pacemaker activity, gene activation and proliferation. Cloning of com plementary DNAs encoding for calcium channel subunits has challenged the st udy of the functional properties of calcium channels and has allowed analys is of the molecular basis of calcium channel diversity. Recently, pore-form ing subunits of T-type calcium channels have been cloned. Recent data descr ibing type genes encoding calcium channels, their molecular and pharmacolog ical studies, as well as their linkage to human genetic diseases are review ed in this article.