Effects of Toxic Environmental Contaminants on Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel Function: From Past to Present |
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Authors: | William D. Atchison |
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Affiliation: | Neuroscience Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA. atchiso1@msu.edu |
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Abstract: | Voltage-gated Ca2+ channels are targets of the number of naturally occurring toxins, therapeutic agents as well as environmental toxicants. Because of similarities of their chemical structure to Ca2+ in terms of hydrated ionic radius, electron orbital configuration, or other chemical properties, polyvalent cations from aluminum to zinc variously interact with multiple types of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. These nonphysiological metals have been used to study the structure and function of the Ca2+ channel, especially its permeability characteristics. Two nonphysiological cations, Pb2+ and Hg2+, as well as their organic derivatives, are environmental neurotoxicants which are highly potent Ca2+ channel blockers. These metals also apparently gain intracellular access in part by permeating through Ca2+ channels. In this review the history of Ca2+ channel block produced by Pb2+ and Hg2+ as well as other nonphysiological cations is traced. In particular the characteristics of Ca2+ channel block induced by these environmental neurotoxic metals and the consequences of this action for neuronal function are discussed. |
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Keywords: | Neurotoxicity methylmercury inorganic mercury lead polychlorinated biphenyls solvents synaptosomes nerve terminal function neuromuscular junction ion channels |
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