Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Cav3.1

Title: Analysis of Ca(2+) currents in spermatocytes from mice lacking Ca(v)2.3 (alpha(1E)) Ca(2+) channel.

Authors: Y Sakata, H Saegusa, S Zong, M Osanai, T Murakoshi, Y Shimizu, T Noda, T Aso, T Tanabe

Journal, date & volume: Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 2001 Nov 9 , 288, 1032-6

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11689014

Abstract
In mammalian male germ-line cells, low-voltage-activated (LVA) Ca(2+) current has been identified and its electrophysiological properties have been studied. To investigate whether alpha(1)2.3 (alpha(1E)) subunit of the voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channel codes for the LVA current, whole-cell patch clamp and following reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) experiments were performed in pachytene spermatocytes from Ca(v)2.3+/+ and Ca(v)2.3-/- mice. Whole-cell current in acutely dissociated pachytene spermatocytes from Ca(v)2.3+/+ and Ca(v)2.3-/- mice displayed a typical profile of LVA Ca(2+) currents and kinetics with no significant differences. Single-cell RT-PCR revealed the expression of Cacna1g in the pachytene spermatocytes from Ca(v)2.3+/+ and Ca(v)2.3-/- mice in which LVA Ca(2+) currents were actually recorded. These results suggest that the Ca(v)2.3 channel makes no detectable contribution to the LVA Ca(2+) current in the pachytene spermatocyte. Instead, Ca(v)3 family such as Ca(v)3.1 may be the likely candidates responsible for the LVA currents in pachytene spermatocytes.