Store-Operated Cation Channels in the Heart and Cells of the Cardiovascular System

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Abstract
In many nonexcitable cells, activation of phospholipase C (PLC)-linked receptors results in a release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores followed by a transmembrane Ca2+ entry. This Ca2+ entry underlies the sustained phase of [Ca2+]i increase, is important for various cellular functions including gene expression, secretion and cell proliferation, and is supported by agonist-activated Ca2+-permeable ion channels. Ca2+-permeable channels which are activated by store depletion and which are therefore referred to as store- operated channels or SOCs form a major pathway for agonist-induced Ca2+ influx. So far, the molecular structures of these channels have not been identified. Potential candidates are encoded by members of the TRP family, a class of ion channels initially discovered in Drosophila and involved in the PLC-dependent transduction of visual stimuli. Here, we review recent evidence that agonist-induced Ca2+ influx and especially SOCs are present in different cell types of the heart and of the cardiovascular system and compare these findings with the possible functions and tissue-specific expression of mammalian TRP proteins.

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