Cyclic Nucleotide-regulated Cation Channels*
- Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich and Department of Pharmacy, Center for Drug Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstrasse 5–13, 81377 Munich, Germany
- 1 To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mbiel{at}cup.uni-muenchen.de.
Abstract
Cyclic nucleotide-regulated cation channels are ion channels whose activation is regulated by the direct binding of cAMP or cGMP to the channel protein. Two structurally related families of channels regulated by cyclic nucleotides have been identified, the cyclic nucleotide-gated channels and the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels. Cyclic nucleotide-gated channels play a key role in visual and olfactory transduction. Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels are present in the conduction system of the heart and are involved in the control of cardiac automaticity. Moreover, these channels are widely expressed in central and peripheral neurons, where they control a variety of fundamental processes.
Footnotes
-
↵2 The abbreviations used are: CNG, cyclic nucleotide-gated; HCN, hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated; CNBD, cyclic nucleotide-binding domain; OSN, olfactory sensory neuron; CaM, calmodulin; SA, sinoatrial.
-
↵* This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and by European Union Research Project NORMACOR within the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Union. This minireview will be reprinted in the 2009 Minireview Compendium, which will be available in January, 2010.
- The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
