Anti-CACNA1A (CaV2.1) Antibody

Voltage dependent Ca²⁺ channels (Ca_v channels) are pivotal players in many physiological roles such as secretion, contraction migration and excitation.¹

The voltage dependent calcium channels are composed of several subunits; α1, β, α2δ and γ. Ca_v channels were originally  divided into six physiological types: L, N , P, Q, R, and T type.

The Ca_v2.1 (formally named α1A) makes up the α1 poreforming subunit in P/Q type Ca²⁺ channel family. It is expressed preferentially in the central nervous system where along with Ca_v2.2 is responsible for pre-synaptic Ca²⁺ influx and neurotransmitter release.^1,2

Mutations in the Ca_v2.1 have been shown to cause several neurological disorders among them are familial hemiplegic migraine, episodic ataxia type 2, and spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6).^1,3-5

The involvement of Ca_v2.1 in synaptic transmission was assessed by using ω-Agatoxin IVA (#RTA-500), a specific blocker of the Ca_v2.1 channel.⁶ The blocking sensitivity is dependent on the a subunit isoform and on the splice variant.^7,8