Rocking and rolling with Ca2+ channels

Voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels area large family of related heterooligomer s that couple cell excitability to intracellular signalling. Recent studies on mice carrying Ca2+ channel mutations, or in which Ca2+ channel subunits have been deleted, have provided important information about the roles car ried out by these molecules in cardiovascular function, pain, epilepsy, mig raine and deafness, in addition to further defining how Ca2+ channels regul ate the physiology of excitable cells.