title: KCa and Ca(2+) channels: the complex thought.
abstract: Potassium channels belong to the largest and the most diverse super-families of ion channels. Among them, Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels (KCa) comprise many members. Based on their single channel conductance they are divided into three subfamilies: big conductance (BKCa), intermediate conductance (IKCa) and small conductance (SKCa; SK1, SK2 and SK3). Ca(2+) channels are divided into two main families, voltage gated/voltage dependent Ca(2+) channels and non-voltage gated/voltage independent Ca(2+) channels. Based on their electrophysiological and pharmacological properties and on the tissue where there are expressed, voltage gated Ca(2+) channels (Cav) are divided into 5 families: T-type, L-type, N-type, P/Q-type and R-type Ca(2+). Non-voltage gated Ca(2+) channels comprise the TRP (TRPC, TRPV, TRPM, TRPA, TRPP, TRPML and TRPN) and Orai (Orai1 to Orai3) families and their partners STIM (STIM1 to STIM2). A depolarization is needed to activate voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels while non-voltage gated Ca(2+) channels are activated by Ca(2+) depletion of the endoplasmic reticulum stores (SOCs) or by receptors (ROCs). These two Ca(2+) channel families also control constitutive Ca(2+) entries. For reducing the energy consumption and for the fine regulation of Ca(2+), KCa and Ca(2+) channels appear associated as complexes in excitable and non-excitable cells. Interestingly, there is now evidence that KCa-Ca(2+) channel complexes are also found in cancer cells and contribute to cancer-associated functions such as cell proliferation, cell migration and the capacity to develop metastases. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Calcium signaling in health and disease. Guest Editors: Geert Bultynck, Jacques Haiech, Claus W. Heizmann, Joachim Krebs, and Marc Moreau.
authors.affiliation: Inserm, UMR1069 "Nutrition, Croissance et Cancer", Tours F-37032, France; Université François Rabelais, Tours 37032, France.
authors.forename: Maxime
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guéguinou
authors.affiliation: Inserm, UMR1069 "Nutrition, Croissance et Cancer", Tours F-37032, France; Université François Rabelais, Tours 37032, France.
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chantôme
authors.affiliation: Inserm, UMR1069 "Nutrition, Croissance et Cancer", Tours F-37032, France; Université François Rabelais, Tours 37032, France; CHRU Tours, Tours, 37032 France.
authors.forename: Gaëlle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fromont
authors.affiliation: Inserm, UMR1069 "Nutrition, Croissance et Cancer", Tours F-37032, France; Université François Rabelais, Tours 37032, France; CHRU Tours, Tours, 37032 France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bougnoux
authors.affiliation: Inserm, UMR1069 "Nutrition, Croissance et Cancer", Tours F-37032, France; Université François Rabelais, Tours 37032, France. Electronic address: christophe.vandier@univ-tours.fr.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vandier
authors.affiliation: Inserm, UMR1069 "Nutrition, Croissance et Cancer", Tours F-37032, France; Université François Rabelais, Tours 37032, France.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Potier-Cartereau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009928:Organ Specificity; D024681:Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D024681:Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated; D021122:Protein Subunits; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Ca(2+) channels; Cancer; KCa channels; Orai; SOC; TRP