Anti-CaV3.2 (CACNA1H) Antibody

T-type Ca²⁺ channels play an important role in many cellular processes such as hormone secretion, neurotransmitter release and cell differentiation.  T-type channels are also known to participate in the pacemaker activities of heart and neurons including thalamic neurons.¹

Three genes encoding T-type Ca²⁺ channels have been cloned and designated as Ca_v3.2 (α1H), Ca_v3.1 (α1G) and Ca_v3.3 (α1I).^1-3 

The Ca_v3.2  (α1H) channel is widely expressed in various tissues, brain, heart, liver and testis.

Involvement of Ca_v3.2 Ca²⁺ channels in several pathologies has been described. Overexpression of the Ca_v3.2 channel was described in prostate cancer cells that are associated with more aggressiveness, invasiveness and poor prognosis.⁴ Several point mutations discovered in the Ca_v3.2 channel that affect gating of the channel were found to be associated with Childhood Absence Epilepsy.⁵ One year old mice, deficient in Ca_v3.2 channel, exhibited severe cardiac pathology, fibrosis, necrosis, lymphocyte infiltration and abnormal coronary function compared to wild-type mice.⁶ 

Recently, it has been demonstrated that T-type channels are expressed in DRG neurons and that small and medium-diameter primary afferent neurons in the dorsal horn expresses almost exclusively the Ca_v3.2 Ca²⁺channels. This might indicate a possible role for Ca_v3.2 in nociception.⁷