Emerging Alternative Functions for the Auxiliary Subunits of the Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels

Voltage gated calcium channels (Cav) are composed of up to five proteins: The ion conducting pore subunit alpha 1 and the auxiliary subunits alpha 2, delta, beta, and gamma Recent reports show that Cav alpha 1 and Cav beta comprise the calcium channel core complex and that beta,alpha 2 delta and gamma may serve additional roles that are independent of the Cav alpha 1 subunit. This short review will summarize these emerging functions.