title: International Union of Pharmacology. XLVIII. Nomenclature and structure-function relationships of voltage-gated calcium channels.
abstract: The family of voltage-gated calcium channels serves as the key transducers of cell surface membrane potential changes into local intracellular calcium transients that initiate many different physiological events. There are 10 members of the voltage-gated calcium channel family that have been characterized in mammals, and they serve distinct roles in cellular signal transduction. This article presents the molecular relationships and physiological functions of these calcium channel proteins and provides comprehensive information on their molecular, genetic, physiological, and pharmacological properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Mailstop 357280, Seattle, WA 98195-7280, USA. wcatt@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Catterall
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Perez-Reyes
authors.forename: Terrance P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Snutch
authors.forename: Joerg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Striessnig
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000502:physiology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D009626:Terminology as Topic
chemical_list: D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels