
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Calcium channel
Introduction
Overview
Overview
A Calcium channel is an ion channel which displays selective permeabiltiy to calcium ions. It is sometimes synonymous as voltage-dependent calcium channel, although there are also ligand-gated calcium channels.
Comparison tables
Comparison tables
The following tables explain gating, gene, location and function of different types of calcium channels, both voltage and ligand-gated.
Voltage-gated
| Type | Gated by | Protein | Gene | Location | Function |
| L-type | high voltage | Cav1.1 Cav1.2 Cav1.3 Cav1.4 |
CACNA1S CACNA1C CACNA1D CACNA1F |
Skeletal muscle, bone (osteoblasts), ventricular myocytes**, dendrites and dendritic spines of cortical neurones | SMC and cardiac muscle contraction [1]. Responsible for prolonged action potential in cardiac muscle. |
| P-type/Q-type | high voltage | Cav2.1 | CACNA1A | Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum / Cerebellar granule cells | neurotransmitter release [1] |
| N-type | high voltage | Cav2.2 | CACNA1B | Throughout the brain | neurotransmitter release [1] |
| R-type | intermediate voltage | Cav2.3 | CACNA1E | Cerebellar granule cells, other neurons | ?[1] |
| T-type | low voltage | Cav3.1 Cav3.2 Cav3.3 |
CACNA1G CACNA1H CACNA1I |
neurons, cells that have pacemaker activity, bone (osteocytes) | Regular sinus rhythm[1] |
- the receptor-operated calcium channels (in vasoconstriction)
| Type | Gated by | Gene | Location | Function |
| IP3 receptor | IP3 | ER/SR | Releases calcium from ER/SR in response to IP3 by e.g. GPCRs [1] | |
| Ryanodine receptor | dihydropyridine receptors in T-tubules | ER/SR | Calcium-induced calcium release in myocytes [1] | |
| Two-pore channel | ||||
| Cation channels of sperm | ||||
| store-operated channels | indirectly by ER/SR depletion of calcium[1] | plasma membrane |
References
References
External links
External links
- Calcium+Channels at the US National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
