Trafficking of Neuronal Calcium Channels

Neuronal voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) serve a wide range of complex yet critical physiological functions by converting electrical signals into intracellular calcium increase and subsequent activation of downstream signaling pathways. The magnitude to which VGCCs affect neuronal activities largely depends on their density in the plasma membrane. Ectopic expression at the cell surface can lead to severe neurological conditions. Hence, numerous efforts have been dedicated to identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of VGCCs which has led to the discovery of several interacting proteins and posttranslational modifications that contribute to their trafficking to and from the plasma membrane. In this chapter, we synthesize the current state of knowledge of these underlying mechanisms that drive the expression of VGCCs at the plasma membrane and address their implications in pathophysiological circumstances, and their potential as therapeutic targets.