Main description:

This book covers the tremendous progress in the current understanding of the molecular physiology of voltage-gated calcium channels. This book includes unparalleled insights into structural features of calcium channels due to X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM, which in turn yielded critical information into how these channels function under normal and pathophysiological conditions, and how they interact with calcium channel therapeutics. The chapters investigate how, with the advent of high throughput genome sequencing, numerous mutations in various calcium channel genes have been identified in patients with neurological, cardiovascular, neuropsychiatric and other disorders. This is further complemented through a much larger in vivo toolkit such as knock-out and knock-in mice. The chapters further discuss the increased complexity of calcium channel physiology that arises from mRNA editing and splicing. Finally, the book also provides an overview of the updated research on calcium channel inhibitors that can be used both in vivo and in vitro, and which may serve as a spring board for new calcium channel therapeutics for human disease. Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels is useful for academic researchers at all levels in neuroscience, biophysics, cell biology and drug discovery.

Contents:

Preface: History of VGCCs STRUCTURAL AND MOLECULAR ASPECTS OF VGCCS

1. Measuring and manipulating calcium

2. Structure, function and subunit assembly of VGCC

3. Splice variation and RNA editing of VGCCs

4. Mechanisms of calcium channel permeation

5. Regulation by beta subunits
6. Regulation by alpha2 delta subunits
7. VGCCs in invertebrates

REGULATION OF VGCCS
8. Modulation by GPCRs and second messengers
9. Trafficking of VGCCs
10. Calcium regulation
11. Calcium channel complexes with other channels
12. Regulation of gene transcription by VGCCs

(PATHO)PHYSIOLOGY OF VGCCS
13. Lessons from knock-out and knock-in mice
14. VGCCs and synaptic transmission
15. Cardiovascular syste
16. Calcium channels and exocytosis in chromaffin cells
17. Calcium channels in the pancreas in health and disease
18. Skeletal muscle system
19. Auditory and visual systems
20. Calcium channels and pain transmission
21. Migraine
22. Epilepsy
23. Psychiatric disorders
24. Parkinson's disease
25. Reproductive system
26. Cancer

PHARMACOLOGY OF VGCCS
27. Molecular determinants of VGCC pharmacology
28. Interactions with peptide toxins
29. Clinical pharmacology and drug discovery