Interactions of calcium antagonists and agonists with calcium channels in muscle cells

摘要: Pharmacological agents that block or stimulate ion flux are valuable allies in the investigation and characterization of membrane ionic channels. This is especially case with muscle calcium (Ca) channels where availability three classes channel-modulating drugs has had an enormous experimental (and clinical) impact. The structurally-unrelated (dihydro-pyridines (DHPs), phenylalkylamines (PAAs), benzothiazipines (BTZs)) have helped define physiological significance Ca (e.g. [1,2]) separate them into two different types (L-type, T-type) cells [3,4]. Furthermore, they been invaluable biochemical studies on channel structure function protein subunits [5,6]. these (Figure 1) bind high-affinity to allosterically-interacting sites L-type [6–8] (although may also lower affinity [9])).