Given the success of
Volume I of this Research Topic, and how rapid the subject area is evolving, we are pleased to announce the launch of The Role of Calcium Channels in Human Health and Disease - Volume II
Calcium channels mediate calcium ions into the cytoplasm and organelles. Calcium ions are involved in regulating almost all biological functions of the body, such as the heart and muscle contractions, neuro-information transmission, learning and memory, embryo formation and development, cell proliferation and apoptosis, cell division and differentiation, cell energy metabolism, protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation modification, and gene expression and regulation. The cytoplasmic free calcium ion concentration of mammalian cells is generally controlled at 100 ~ 200 nmol/L, while the extracellular and organelle calcium concentration is maintained at the mmol/L level. Abnormalities in these calcium channels may cause instability of calcium homeostasis, and result in disease. However, there are still knowledge gaps in the pathophysiology. Elucidating the regulation mechanism of calcium channels is one of the basic links to reveal the regulation rules of calcium homeostasis and life processes.
The exact pathophysiological mechanisms of calcium channels are complex, and their full functions are currently far from being fully understood. A number of calcium channels and downstream pathways have been detected and identified by using human tissue or animal models, which will take research forward in an important step. The goal of this Research Topic is to collate articles related to the pathophysiology of calcium channels involved human health and disease. We encourage interested investigators to submit review articles and original research based on cell models, animal models and human samples aiming to promote the research progress of calcium channels.
Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:
• Calcium channels in autophagy, ER stress and vascular tone control in cardiovascular system
• Calcium channels in cancer progression and multidrug resistance
• Mechanosensation, cytoskeleton and TRP channels
• Calcium channels in oxidative stress and atherosclerosis
• Calcium channels in disease modeling using stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes
• Identification and development of drugs targeting on calcium channels from natural and synthetic sources
• Novel functional calcium channels
• Identification of the correlation between non-coding RNA with calcium channels
• Identification of novel biomolecules, enzymes and metabolites as regulators of calcium channels
