Cation activity, operational definition

There are several major classes of Ca channels (1) receptor-operated Ca channels in plasma membranes (2) ligand-gated Ca " channels in intracellular membranes and (3) voltage-dependent Ca channels that are usually found in plasma membranes or the invaginations of the plasma membrane that are known as transverse tubule membranes. Receptor-dependent or receptor-operated Ca channels (ROCCs) are primarily opened in response to activation of their associated receptors and, by definition, exhibit a certain amount of selectivity for Ca " over other cations. Several potentially different types of ROCCs have been characterized including ATP-sensitive channels in smooth muscle [1], mitogen and IP3-sensitive... 

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