Calcium permeability of ligand-gated channels.
Ligand-gated channels activated by excitatory neurotransmitters: glutamate, acetylcholine, ATP or serotonin are cation channels permeable to Ca2+. Molecular cloning revealed a large variety of the ligand-gated channel subunits differentially expressed in mammalian brain. Many of them have different Ca2+ permeability providing immense diversity in Ca2+ entry mediated by ligand-gated channels during synaptic transmission. Functional analysis of cloned channels allowed to identify structural elements in the pore forming regions determining Ca2+ permeability for many types of ligand-gated channels. The functional role of the Ca2+ entry mediated by various ligand-gated channels in mammalian central nervous system is less understood. The studies reviewed in this article provide information about known structural determinants of Ca2+ permeability of the ligand-gated channels and the role of this particular pathway of Ca2+ entry in cell function.
Burnashev
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Max-Planck-Institut für medizinische Forschung, Heidelberg, Germany. nail@sunny.mpimf-heidelberg.mpg.de
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D008024:Ligands; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000378:metabolism; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000378:metabolism; D011983:Receptors, Purinergic / Q000378:metabolism; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
D015220:Calcium Channels; D008024:Ligands; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D011983:Receptors, Purinergic; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D002118:Calcium