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L‐type voltage‐gated calcium channels: understanding function through structure
Author(s) -
Wang Ming-Chuan,
Dolphin Annette,
Kitmitto Ashraf
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(04)00253-4
Subject(s) - voltage dependent calcium channel , context (archaeology) , biophysics , calcium , chemistry , n type calcium channel , t type calcium channel , channel (broadcasting) , calcium channel , voltage gated ion channel , ion channel , computer science , biochemistry , biology , telecommunications , receptor , paleontology , organic chemistry
L‐type voltage‐gated calcium channels (VGCCs) are multisubunit membrane proteins that regulate calcium influx into excitable cells. Within the last two years there have been four separate reports describing the structure of the skeletal muscle VGCC determined by electron microscopy and single particle analysis methods. There are some discrepancies between the structures, as well as reports for both monomeric and dimeric forms of the channel. This article considers each of the VGCC structures in terms of similarities and differences with an emphasis upon translation of data into a biological context.