title: Molecular genetics of ryanodine receptors Ca2+-release channels.
abstract: The family of ryanodine receptor (RyR) genes encodes three highly related Ca(2+)-release channels: RyR1, RyR2 and RyR3. RyRs are known as the Ca(2+)-release channels that participate to the mechanism of excitation-contraction coupling in striated muscles, but they are also expressed in many other cell types. Actually, in several cells two or three RyR isoforms can be co-expressed and interactive feedbacks among them may be important for generation of intracellular Ca(2+) signals and regulation of specific cellular functions. Important developments have been obtained in understanding the biochemical complexity underlying the process of Ca(2+) release through RyRs. The 3-D structure of these large molecules has been obtained and some regulatory regions have been mapped within these 3-D reconstructions. Recent studies have clarified the role of protein kinases and phosphatases that, by physically interacting with RyRs, appear to play a role in the regulation of these Ca(2+)-release channels. These and other recent advancements in understanding RyR biology will be the object of this review.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Medicine Section, Department of Neuroscience, University of Siena, via Aldo Moro 5, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sorrentino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel