Calcium channels, neuromuscular synaptic transmission and neurological diseases.

Francisco J Urbano, Mario R Pagani, Osvaldo D Uchitel

Laboratorio de Fisiología y Biología Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428-Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Journal of neuroimmunology 2008 Sep 15

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Voltage-dependent calcium channels are essential in neuronal signaling and synaptic transmission, and their functional alterations underlie numerous human disorders whether monogenic (e.g., ataxia, migraine, etc.) or autoimmune. We review recent work on Ca(V)2.1 or P/Q channelopathies, mostly using neuromuscular junction preparations, and focus specially on the functional hierarchy among the calcium channels recruited to mediate neurotransmitter release when Ca(V)2.1 channels are mutated or depleted. In either case, synaptic transmission is greatly compromised; evidently, none of the reported functional replacements with other calcium channels compensates fully.

Citation

Francisco J Urbano, Mario R Pagani, Osvaldo D Uchitel. Calcium channels, neuromuscular synaptic transmission and neurological diseases. Journal of neuroimmunology. 2008 Sep 15;201-202:136-44