Rabbit polyclonal antibody to T~type Ca++ CP α1H (P492)

Voltage~dependent Ca++ channels mediate Ca++ entry into excitable cells in response to membrane depolarization, and they are involved in a variety of Ca++~dependent processes, including muscle contraction, hormone or neurotransmitter release and gene expression. Calcium channels are highly diverse, multimeric complexes composed of an α1 subunit, an intracellular β subunit, a disulfide linked α2/δ subunit and a transmembrane γ subunit. Ca++ currents are characterized on the basis of their biophysical and pharmacologic properties and include L~, N~, T~, P~, Q~, and R~ types. T~type Ca++ currents are activated and inactivated more rapidly and at more negative membrane potentials than other Ca++ current types. T~type Ca++ channels enhance odor sensitivity by lowering the threshold of spike generation in olfactory receptor cells (ORCs).