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Related Concept Videos

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...
The Role of Ion Channels in Neuronal Computation01:19

The Role of Ion Channels in Neuronal Computation

A postsynaptic neuron usually receives numerous impulses from several other presynaptic neurons. The axon hillock of the postsynaptic neuron integrates all these signals and determines the likelihood of firing an action potential.
Sometimes a single EPSP is strong enough to induce an action potential in the postsynaptic neuron. However, multiple presynaptic inputs must often create EPSPs around the same time for the postsynaptic neuron to be sufficiently depolarized to fire an action potential.
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.
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...

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Functional Site-Directed Fluorometry in Native Cells to Study Skeletal Muscle Excitability
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Functional Site-Directed Fluorometry in Native Cells to Study Skeletal Muscle Excitability

Published on: June 2, 2023

Voltage-gated calcium channels.

William A Catterall1

  • 1Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-7280, USA. wcatt@uw.edu

Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology
|July 13, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Voltage-gated calcium (Ca2+) channels are crucial for physiological events, with distinct mammalian subfamilies (CaV1, CaV2, CaV3) mediating diverse cellular functions from contraction to synaptic transmission.

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Physiology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Voltage-gated calcium (Ca2+) channels convert electrical signals into cellular responses.
  • Mammalian genomes contain ten distinct voltage-gated Ca2+ channel types.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present the molecular relationships and physiological functions of mammalian voltage-gated Ca2+ channel proteins.
  • To provide comprehensive information on their molecular, genetic, physiological, and pharmacological properties.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on Ca2+ channel molecular biology and physiology.
  • Analysis of genetic, molecular, and functional data for CaV channel subfamilies.

Main Results:

  • The CaV1 subfamily is involved in contraction, secretion, gene expression, and synaptic integration.
  • The CaV2 subfamily mediates fast synaptic transmission.
  • The CaV3 subfamily regulates action potential firing in excitable cells.

Conclusions:

  • Mammalian voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (CaV1, CaV2, CaV3) exhibit specialized roles in diverse physiological processes.
  • Understanding these channels is vital for comprehending cellular signaling and developing targeted therapies.