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. 1992 Jun;11(6):2033–2038. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1992.tb05260.x

Stable and functional expression of the calcium channel alpha 1 subunit from smooth muscle in somatic cell lines.

E Bosse 1, R Bottlender 1, T Kleppisch 1, J Hescheler 1, A Welling 1, F Hofmann 1, V Flockerzi 1
PMCID: PMC556668  PMID: 1376244

Abstract

Voltage-activated calcium channels are membrane spanning proteins that allow the controlled entry of Ca2+ into the cytoplasm of cells. The principal channel forming subunit of an L-type calcium channel is the alpha 1 subunit. Transfection of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells with complementary DNA encoding the calcium channel alpha 1 subunit from smooth muscle led to the expression of functional calcium channels which bind calcium channel blockers and show the voltage-dependent activation and slow inactivation and unitary current conductance characteristic of calcium channels in smooth muscle. The currents mediated by these channels are sensitive towards dihydropyridine-type blockers and agonists indicating that the calcium channel blocker receptor sites were present in functional form. The smooth muscle alpha 1 subunit cDNA alone is sufficient for stable expression of functional calcium channels with the expected kinetic and pharmacological properties in mammalian somatic cells.

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Selected References

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