T-type calcium channels: the never ending story.
T-type, or low-voltage-activated (LVA), tiny and transient Ca2+ currents pare more and more recognised as universal players in a plethora of cell functions and are also more and more connected to several diseases. This short introduction reviews the discovery of T-type Ca2+ channels, describes its basic properties and sketches its cloning and physiological impact. Finally, an overview is given how research on T-type Ca2+ channels has developed in the last years and in which topics it is branching out, a process, which is still ongoing.
Nilius
Bernd
B
Laboratorium voor Fysiologie, Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. bernd.nilius@med.kuleuven.be
Talavera
Karel
K
Verkhratsky
Alexei
A
D000818:Animals; D020747:Calcium Channels, T-Type / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000502:physiology; D007700:Kinetics
D020747:Calcium Channels, T-Type