Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels and Molecular Features

Electrobiophysical records obtained from cells such as neuron, muscle and endocrine have revealed that there are calcium (Ca2+) currents with distinctive characteristics which can be activated by voltage. Calcium channels have been categorized as low voltage-activated Ca2+ channels (LVA), low-threshold calcium channels and high-voltage activated calcium channels (HVA), high-threshold calcium channels in terms of calcium channels activation. Voltage-gated calcium channels have been classified with respect to their activation and inactivation kinetics, ion characteristics, the permeability and their sensitivity to drug and the toxin. Voltage-dependent calcium channels have different distributions in the tissues and show different characteristics in different tissues. In this review, the available information about voltage-gated calcium channels have been summarized