Calmodulin and CaMKII as molecular switches for cardiac ion channels.

Because changes in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration are the final signals of electrical activity in excitable cells, many mechanisms have evolved to regulate Ca(2+) influx. Among the most important are those pathways that directly regulate the ion channels responsible for regulating and generating the Ca(2+) influx signal. Recent work has demonstrated that the Ca(2+) binding protein calmodulin (CaM) and the Ca(2+)/CaM-sensitive kinase CaMKII are important modulators of cardiac ion channels. Thus, Ca(2+) participates in feedback modulation to control electrical activity. This review highlights various mechanisms by which CaM and CaMKII regulate cardiovascular ion channel activity and presents a novel model for CaMKII regulation of Ca(V)1.2 Ca(2+) channel function.