T-type Calcium Channels in Cancer

Although voltage-activated Ca(2+) channels are a common feature in excitable cells, their expression in cancer tissue is less understood. T-type Ca(2+) channels are particularly overexpressed in various cancers. Because of their activation profile at membrane potentials close to rest and the generation of a window current, T-type Ca(2+) channels may regulate a variety of Ca(2+)-dependent cellular processes, including cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation. The expression of T-type Ca(2+) channels is of special interest as a target for therapeutic interventions.