Control of voltage‐dependent Ca 2+ channels by G protein‐coupled receptors

Abstract
G proteins act as transducers between membrane receptors activated by extracellular signals and enzymatic effectors controlling the concentration of cytosolic signal molecules such as cAMP, cGMP, inositol phosphates and Ca2+. In some instances, the receptor/G protein-induced changes in the concentration of cytosolic signal molecules correlate with activity changes of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. Ca2+ channel modulation, in these cases, requires the participation of protein kinases whose activity is stimulated by cytosolic signal molecules. The respective protein kinases phosphorylate Ca2+ channel-forming proteins or unknown regulatory components. More recent findings suggest another membrane-confined mechanism that does not involve cytosolic signal molecules but rather a more direct control of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels by G proteins. Modulation of Ca2+ channel activity that follows this apparently membrane-confined mechanism has been described to occur in neuronal, cardiac, and endocrine cells. ...

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