title: Mouse models to study L-type calcium channel function.
abstract: Calcium influx through voltage gated L-type Ca2+ channels has evolved as one of the most widely used transmembrane signalling mechanisms in eukaryotic organisms. Although pharmacological inhibitors of L-type Ca2+ channels have an important place in medical therapy, the full therapeutic potential of the 4 L-type Ca2+ channel subtypes has not been explored yet. To dissect the physiological relevance of the L-type Ca2+ channel subtype diversity, gene-targeted mouse models carrying deletions of these channels ("knockout mice") have been generated. This review focuses on recent data from studies in mice lacking the Ca(v)1.2 and Ca(v)1.3 pore subunits, which have elucidated some of the roles of L-type Ca2+ channels as mediators of signalling between cell membrane and intracellular processes like blood pressure regulation, smooth muscle contractility, insulin secretion, cardiac development, and learning and memory.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Pharmakologie, Technische Universität München, Biedersteiner Strasse 29, 80802, München, Germany. moosmang@ipt.med.tu-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moosmang
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lenhardt
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haider
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: Jörg W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wegener
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D023421:Models, Animal; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type