title: Alternative splicing of Cav2 genes and their functional significance.
abstract: Alternative splicing is one of the most pharmacologically and physiologically significant mechanisms for the functional diversity of the mammalian genomes. Here I review recent results on the diversity of the Ca(v)2 subclass of voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channel gene in neurons. Although the entire picture of alternative splicing is not yet understood, emerging evidences suggest the Ca(v)2 isoforms permit optimization of Ca(2+) signaling in different regions of the brain with specific pharmacological ligands.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Japan. skaneko@pharm.kyoto-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaneko
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000235:genetics*; D020864:Calcium Channels, N-Type / Q000235:genetics; D020865:Calcium Channels, P-Type / Q000235:genetics; D020908:Calcium Channels, R-Type / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D020864:Calcium Channels, N-Type; D020865:Calcium Channels, P-Type; D020908:Calcium Channels, R-Type