T Type Voltage Dependent Calcium Channels are a type of ion channel found in the cellular membranes of various tissues, including neurons, cardiac cells, and endocrine cells. These channels play a crucial role in regulating the entry of calcium ions into cells in response to changes in membrane voltage.
Voltage dependent calcium channels are membrane proteins that open and close in response to changes in the electrical potential across the cell membrane. T Type channels are one of the three main types of voltage dependent calcium channels, along with L Type and N Type channels.
T Type channels are characterized by their low voltage activation, meaning they open at relatively negative membrane potentials. They are involved in initiating transient, low threshold calcium spikes in excitable cells. These channels are primarily responsible for the generation of low amplitude, transient calcium currents during the early stages of action potentials.
In neurons, T Type channels are crucial for the generation and modulation of rhythmic activity, such as the pacemaker activity in thalamic neurons. They also play a role in the regulation of neurotransmitter release and modulation of synaptic plasticity.
Due to their involvement in various physiological processes, T Type Voltage Dependent Calcium Channels have been implicated in numerous diseases and disorders, including epilepsy, neuropathic pain, and cardiac arrhythmias. Consequently, these channels have been the subject of extensive research, with the goal of developing targeted drugs to modulate their activity for therapeutic purposes.
