Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Cell-based Calcium Assay for Medium to High Throughput Screening of TRP Channel Functions using FlexStation 3
07:26

Cell-based Calcium Assay for Medium to High Throughput Screening of TRP Channel Functions using FlexStation 3

Published on: August 17, 2011

T-type voltage-gated calcium channels as targets for the development of novel pain therapies

Slobodan M Todorovic1, Vesna Jevtovic-Todorovic

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology and Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, 22908-0710, USA. st9d@virginia.edu

British Journal of Pharmacology
|February 11, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Transient (T)-type calcium channels (T-channels) play a key role in pain pathways. Targeting these channels may lead to safer and more effective pain therapies for chronic pain conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Voltage-gated calcium (Ca2+) channels are crucial for pain pathway modulation.
  • Recent research highlights the role of low-voltage-activated transient (T)-type Ca2+ channels (T-channels) in nociception.
  • Existing pain therapies often have insufficient efficacy and significant side effects, particularly for chronic pain.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the involvement of peripheral and central T-channels in pain processing.
  • To explore the therapeutic potential of T-channel modulators for pain management.
  • To discuss future directions in selective T-channel modulation for safer pain therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on T-channels and nociception.
  • Analysis of existing data on the expression and function of T-channels in pain pathways.
  • Discussion of pharmacological strategies for T-channel modulation.

Main Results:

  • T-channels are implicated in both peripheral and central pain signaling.
  • T-channels are highly expressed in nociceptors, suggesting a critical role in pain sensation.
  • Selective T-channel inhibitors offer a promising avenue for developing novel analgesics.

Conclusions:

  • T-channels represent a significant therapeutic target for pain relief.
  • Developing selective modulators of neuronal T-channels could overcome limitations of current pain treatments.
  • Further research into T-channel function and pharmacology is warranted for improved pain management.

More Related Videos

In Vivo Thoracic Dorsal Root Ganglia (DRG) Calcium Imaging and ECG Recording for Studying Peripheral Nerve Stimulation06:34

In Vivo Thoracic Dorsal Root Ganglia (DRG) Calcium Imaging and ECG Recording for Studying Peripheral Nerve Stimulation

Published on: August 16, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Non-gated Ion Channels01:24

Non-gated Ion Channels

Ion channels are specialized proteins on the plasma membrane that allow charged ions to pass down their electrochemical gradient. Their main function is to maintain the membrane potential which is critical for cell viability. These channels are either gated or non-gated and can transport more than a thousand ions within milliseconds for the cellular event to occur.
Compared to the gated ion channels, the non-gated channels, also known as leakage or passive channels, have no gating mechanism.
Mechanically-gated Ion Channels01:12

Mechanically-gated Ion Channels

Mechanically-gated ion channels are proteins found in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell membranes that open in response to mechanical stress. Tension, compression, swelling, and shear stress can alter the conformation of the protein, opening a transmembrane channel that allows the passage of ions for signal transmission. In eukaryotes, mechanically-gated channels are distributed in several regions like the neurons, lungs, skin, bladder, and heart, where they play critical roles in numerous...
Voltage-gated Ion Channels01:26

Voltage-gated Ion Channels

Voltage-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that open and close in response to changes in the membrane potential. They are present on the membranes of all electrically excitable cells such as neurons, heart, and muscle cells.
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several types of...
Voltage-gated Ion Channels01:26

Voltage-gated Ion Channels

Voltage-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that open and close in response to changes in the membrane potential. They are present on the membranes of all electrically excitable cells such as neurons, heart, and muscle cells.
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several types of...
Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

Analgesia and Pain Management

Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism01:30

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that play a vital role in intercellular communication and functions of the nervous system. They allow the influx of ions across the membrane once the neurotransmitter binds, allowing the subsequent transmission of electrical excitation across the neurons. Other ligand-gated ion channels, like the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, permit anions like chloride into the cells on the binding of the GABA molecule. Their entry into the cell...