Voltage gated calcium channels molecular structure

Molecular Structure of Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels. 49... 

The dihydropyridine- (DHP)-sensitive calcium channel purified from skeletal muscle is composed of five subunits al9 a2, P, y, and 8 (9-12). The cty subunit (molecular weight Mr 170 kD) forms a functional voltage-gated calcium channel (9, 13-15) and contains the binding sites for the three classes of calcium channel modulators 1,4-dihydropyridines (16), phenylal-kylamines, and benzothiazepines (17). The primary structure of the ax subunit was first elucidated from skeletal muscle (18) highly homologous sequences have since been cloned from cardiac muscle (13, 19, 20) and brain (21), aorta (22), and lung (23) tissue. 

QSAR studies of calcium channel agonists and antagonists can be viewed as useful tools for assessment of potential toxicity. Information on the primary structure of calcium channels has become increasingly accessible since their sequencing and 3D molecular models can be developed. Models based on the solved X-ray structure from the homologous voltage-gated potassium channel... 

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