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Voltage-gated calcium channels function as Ca2+-activated signaling receptors
1Department of Biological Chemistry, The Alexander Silverman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904 Israel.
Trends in Biochemical Sciences
|January 7, 2014
Summary
Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) function beyond ion permeation. The Ca(2+)-bound channel acts as a receptor, converting external calcium into intracellular signals, impacting secretion and contraction.
Area of Science:
- Cellular Physiology
- Molecular Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) are crucial transmembrane proteins mediating cellular signals.
- VGCCs regulate essential physiological processes including synaptic transmission, muscle contraction, and gene expression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the emerging understanding of VGCCs' dual role in cellular signaling.
- To highlight the receptor-like function of the calcium-bound channel.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent scientific data and literature.
- Analysis of mechanistic perspectives on VGCC function.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests Ca(2+)-bound VGCCs initiate secretion and contraction before Ca(2+) permeation.
- The Ca(2+)-bound channel exhibits receptor-like properties, translating external Ca(2+) into intracellular signals.
Conclusions:
- VGCCs possess a dual mechanism: ion channel and receptor.
- This dual function offers a new framework for understanding depolarization-evoked secretion and cardiac contraction.
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