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Updated: Mar 13, 2026

Live Cell Calcium Imaging Combined with siRNA Mediated Gene Silencing Identifies Ca2+ Leak Channels in the ER Membrane and their Regulatory Mechanisms
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Live Cell Calcium Imaging Combined with siRNA Mediated Gene Silencing Identifies Ca2+ Leak Channels in the ER Membrane and their Regulatory Mechanisms

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Regulation of voltage gated calcium channels by GPCRs and post-translational modification

Junting Huang1, Gerald W Zamponi1

  • 1Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.

Current Opinion in Pharmacology
|October 22, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Voltage-gated calcium channels regulate physiological functions, but their dysregulation links to diseases. This review highlights key regulatory mechanisms, including signaling pathways and post-translational modifications, impacting channel activity and cell surface expression.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Physiology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) are crucial for numerous physiological processes.
  • Dysregulation of VGCCs is implicated in various pathophysiological conditions.
  • Cell signaling pathways and post-translational modifications extensively regulate VGCC activity and localization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review select regulatory mechanisms of VGCCs.
  • To highlight recent developments in understanding VGCC regulation.
  • To focus on signaling pathways and post-translational modifications affecting VGCCs.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing research on VGCC regulation.
  • Focus on G protein-coupled receptor signaling and phosphorylation events.
  • Analysis of post-translational modifications impacting VGCCs.

Main Results:

  • VGCCs are finely tuned by diverse cell signaling pathways.
  • G protein-coupled receptors and phosphorylation events control VGCC trafficking.
  • Post-translational modifications significantly alter VGCC function and plasma membrane density.

Conclusions:

  • Complex regulatory networks govern VGCC activity and surface expression.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is vital for addressing VGCC-related diseases.
  • Recent advancements offer new insights into VGCC regulation.

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