Gerald W. Zamponi

Gerald W. Zamponi's research activities focus on the biophysics, molecular biology, electrophysiology, and pharmacology of calcium channels and their roles in neurological disorders. Of particular interest to his laboratory are the molecular determinants that govern the interactions between presynaptic calcium channels, G protein coupled receptors, and the proteins of the synaptic vesicle release machinery complex. A second major aspect of his work is centered around the molecular mechanisms which control the functional and pharmacological profiles of calcium channels. Finally, his laboratory is interested in the molecular physiology of T-type calcium channels and how they contribute the normal neuronal function and brain pathophysiology. Finally, Dr. Zamponi's lab works extensively in the area of drug discovery for novel treatments of pain and epilepsy.

Biography Updated on 15 January 2008

Articles in Scholarly Journals [Incomplete List]

  1. Use ‘em and Lose ‘em—Activity-Induced Removal of Calcium Channels from the Plasma Membrane
    Neuron, vol. 55, no. 4, pp. 539–541, 2007
  2. Trafficking and regulation of neuronal voltage-gated calcium channels
    Current Opinion in Cell Biology, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 474–482, 2007
  3. Regulation of T-type calcium channels by Rho-associated kinase
    Nature Neuroscience, vol. 10, no. 7, Article ID nn1921, 6 pages, 2007
  4. Protease-activated receptor-4: a novel mechanism of inflammatory pain modulation
    British Journal of Pharmacology, vol. 150, no. 2, Article ID 0706975, 9 pages, 2007
  5. Protease-activated receptor 2 sensitizes the transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 ion channel to cause mechanical hyperalgesia in mice
    The Journal of Physiology, vol. 578, no. 3, pp. 715–733, 2007
  6. Selective Inhibition of Cav3.3 T-type Calcium Channels by G q/11-coupled Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 282, no. 29, pp. 21043–21055, 2007
  7. Differential Role of N-Type Calcium Channel Splice Isoforms in Pain
    Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 27, no. 24, pp. 6363–6373, 2007
  8. Scanning Mutagenesis Reveals a Role for Serine 189 of the Heterotrimeric G-Protein Beta 1 Subunit in the Inhibition of N-Type Calcium Channels
    Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 96, no. 1, pp. 465–470, 2006
  9. Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels and Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsies
    Physiological Reviews, vol. 86, no. 3, pp. 941–966, 2006
  10. N-type Calcium Channel Blockers: Novel Therapeutics for the Treatment of Pain
    Medicinal Chemistry, vol. 2, no. 5, pp. 535–543, 2006
  11. Direct G Protein Modulation of Cav2 Calcium Channels
    Pharmacological Reviews, vol. 58, no. 4, pp. 837–862, 2006
  12. The Drosophila cacts2 mutation reduces presynaptic Ca2+ entry and defines an important element in Cav2.1 channel inactivation
    European Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 23, no. 12, pp. 3230–3244, 2006
  13. Role of the synprint site in presynaptic targeting of the calcium channel CaV2.2 in hippocampal neurons
    European Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 709–718, 2006
  14. Glycerotoxin stimulates neurotransmitter release from N-type Ca2+ channel expressing neurons
    Journal of Neurochemistry, vol. 98, no. 3, pp. 894–904, 2006
  15. Functional Analysis of Cav3.2 T-type Calcium Channel Mutations Linked to Childhood Absence Epilepsy
    Epilepsia, vol. 47, no. 3, pp. 655–658, 2006
  16. Integrin Receptor Activation Triggers Converging Regulation of Cav1.2 Calcium Channels by c-Src and Protein Kinase A Pathways
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 281, no. 20, pp. 14015–14025, 2006
  17. Role of Angiotensin II Type 1A Receptor Phosphorylation, Phospholipase D, and Extracellular Calcium in Isoform-specific Protein Kinase C Membrane Translocation Responses
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 281, no. 36, pp. 26340–26349, 2006
  18. CaV3 T-type calcium channel isoforms differentially distribute to somatic and dendritic compartments in rat central neurons
    European Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 24, no. 9, pp. 2581–2594, 2006
  19. Biochemistry, vol. 45, no. 10, pp. 3448–3459, 2006
  20. Specific T-type calcium channel isoforms are associated with distinct burst phenotypes in deep cerebellar nuclear neurons
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 103, no. 14, pp. 5555–5560, 2006
  21. Determinants of the differential gating properties of Cav3.1 and Cav3.3 T-type channels: A role of domain IV?
    Neuroscience, vol. 143, no. 3, pp. 717–728, 2006
  22. Temperature dependence of T-type calcium channel gating
    Neuroscience, vol. 142, no. 4, pp. 1031–1042, 2006
  23. Presynaptic Ca2+ channels – integration centers for neuronal signaling pathways
    Trends in Neurosciences, vol. 29, no. 11, pp. 617–624, 2006
  24. Opioid, cheating on its receptors, exacerbates pain
    Nature Neuroscience, vol. 9, no. 12, Article ID nn1206-1465b, 2 pages, 2006
  25. ORL1 receptor–mediated internalization of N-type calcium channels
    Nature Neuroscience, vol. 9, no. 1, Article ID nn1605, 9 pages, 2006
  26. Crosstalk between huntingtin and syntaxin 1A regulates N-type calcium channels
    Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 339–351, 2005
  27. Effects of Cav3.2 channel mutations linked to idiopathic generalized epilepsy
    Annals of Neurology, vol. 57, no. 5, pp. 745–749, 2005
  28. Protection of ischemic rat spinal cord white matter: Dual action of KB-R7943 on Na/Ca exchange and L-type Ca channels
    Neuropharmacology, vol. 48, no. 4, pp. 566–575, 2005
  29. The Arg473Cys-neuroligin-1 mutation modulates NMDA mediated synaptic transmission and receptor distribution in hippocampal neurons
    FEBS Letters, vol. 579, no. 29, pp. 6587–6594, 2005
  30. Masters or slaves? Vesicle release machinery and the regulation of presynaptic calcium channels
    Cell Calcium, vol. 37, no. 5, pp. 483–488, 2005
  31. NMDA receptors mediate calcium accumulation in myelin during chemical ischaemia
    Nature, Article ID nature04474, 2005
  32. Voltage-Gated Sodium and Calcium Channels in Nerve, Muscle, and Heart
    IEEE Transactions on Nanobioscience, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 58–69, 2005
  33. Voltage Gated Calcium Channels as Targets for Analgesics
    Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry, vol. 5, no. 6, pp. 539–546, 2005
  34. Cav1.4 Encodes a Calcium Channel with Low Open Probability and Unitary Conductance
    Biophysical Journal, vol. 89, no. 5, pp. 3042–3048, 2005
  35. Molecular Pharmacology of Non-L-type Calcium Channels
    Current Pharmaceutical Design, vol. 11, no. 15, pp. 1887–1898, 2005
  36. Editorial [Hot Topic: New Frontiers in Managing Chronic Pain (Guest Editor: Gerald W. Zamponi)]
    Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry, vol. 5, no. 6, pp. 527–527, 2005
  37. Topiramate Inhibits the Initiation of Plateau Potentials in CA1 Neurons by Depressing R-type Calcium Channels
    Epilepsia, vol. 46, no. 4, pp. 481–489, 2005
  38. In Vitro Characterization of L-Type Calcium Channels and Their Contribution to Firing Behavior in Invertebrate Respiratory Neurons
    Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 95, no. 1, pp. 42–52, 2005
  39. The CACNA1F Gene Encodes an L-Type Calcium Channel with Unique Biophysical Properties and Tissue Distribution
    Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 24, no. 7, pp. 1707–1718, 2004
  40. The  2  Auxiliary Subunit Reduces Affinity of  -Conotoxins for Recombinant N-type (Cav2.2) Calcium Channels
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 279, no. 33, pp. 34705–34714, 2004
  41. Agonist-independent modulation of N-type calcium channels by ORL1 receptors
    Nature Neuroscience, vol. 7, no. 2, Article ID nn1180, 7 pages, 2004
  42. Splicing It UpA Variant of the N-Type Calcium Channel Specific for Pain
    Neuron, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 3–4, 2004
  43. Auxiliary subunit regulation of high-voltage activated calcium channels expressed in mammalian cells
    European Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 1–13, 2004
  44. A Single G  Subunit Locus Controls Cross-talk between Protein Kinase C and G Protein Regulation of N-type Calcium Channels
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 279, no. 28, pp. 29709–29717, 2004
  45. Uncoupling of Calcium Channel  1 and   Subunits in Developing Neurons
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 279, no. 39, pp. 41157–41167, 2004
  46. Scanning Mutagenesis of  -Atracotoxin-Hv1a Reveals a Spatially Restricted Epitope That Confers Selective Activity against Insect Calcium Channels
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 279, no. 42, pp. 44133–44140, 2004
  47. Targeting Ca channels to treat pain: T-type versus N-type
    Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, vol. 25, no. 9, pp. 465–470, 2004
  48. Expression of T-type calcium channel splice variants in human glioma
    Glia, vol. 48, no. 2, pp. 112–119, 2004
  49. Expression of voltage-gated Ca2+ channel subtypes in cultured astrocytes
    Glia, vol. 41, no. 4, pp. 347–353, 2003
  50. Calmodulin LobotomizedNovel Insights into Calcium Regulation of Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels
    Neuron, vol. 39, no. 6, pp. 879–881, 2003
  51. Depolarization-Induced Ca2+ Release in Ischemic Spinal Cord White Matter Involves L-type Ca2+ Channel Activation of Ryanodine Receptors
    Neuron, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 53–63, 2003
  52. Functional roles of cytoplasmic loops and pore lining transmembrane helices in the voltage-dependent inactivation of HVA calcium channels
    The Journal of Physiology, vol. 554, no. 2, pp. 263–273, 2003
  53. Functional interactions between presynaptic calcium channels and the neurotransmitter release machinery
    Current Opinion in Neurobiology, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 308–314, 2003
  54. Expression and Modulation of an Invertebrate Presynaptic Calcium Channel alpha1 Subunit Homologo
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 278, no. 23, pp. 21178–21187, 2003
  55. Gating Effects of Mutations in the Cav3.2 T-type Calcium Channel Associated with Childhood Absence Epilepsy
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 279, no. 11, pp. 9681–9684, 2003
  56. Molecular Pharmacology of High Voltage-Activated Calcium Channels
    Journal of Bioenergetics and Biomembranes, vol. 35, no. 6, pp. 491–505, 2003
  57. Calcium-triggered Membrane Fusion Proceeds Independently of Specific Presynaptic Proteins
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 278, no. 27, pp. 24251–24254, 2003
  58. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, vol. 46, no. 1, pp. 87–96, 2003
  59. The L-type calcium channel C-terminus: sparking interest beyond its role in calcium-dependent inactivation
    The Journal of Physiology, vol. 552, no. 2, pp. 333–333, 2003
  60. Cysteine String Protein (CSP) Inhibition of N-type Calcium Channels Is Blocked by Mutant Huntingtin
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 278, no. 52, pp. 53072–53081, 2003
  61. Several Structural Domains Contribute to the Regulation of N-type Calcium Channel Inactivation by the 3 Subunit
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 279, no. 5, pp. 3793–3800, 2003
  62. Calcium Channel Structural Determinants of Synaptic Transmission between Identified Invertebrate Neurons
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 278, no. 6, pp. 4258–4267, 2003
  63. Determinants of Inhibition of Transiently Expressed Voltage-gated Calcium Channels by omega-Conotoxins GVIA and MVIIA
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 278, no. 22, pp. 20171–20178, 2003
  64. Molecular determinants of cysteine string protein modulation of N-type calcium channels
    Journal of Cell Science, vol. 116, no. 14, pp. 2967–2974, 2003
  65. A Minimal Model for G Protein-Mediated Synaptic Facilitation and Depression
    Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 90, no. 3, pp. 1643–1653, 2003
  66. Modulating Modulation: Crosstalk Between Regulatory Pathways of Presynaptic Calcium Channels
    Molecular Interventions, vol. 2, no. 8, pp. 476–478, 2002
  67. Molecular Determinants of Syntaxin 1 Modulation of N-type Calcium Channels
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 277, no. 46, pp. 44399–44407, 2002
  68. Synthesis and Evaluation of a New Class of Nifedipine Analogs with T-Type Calcium Channel Blocking Activity
    Molecular Pharmacology, vol. 61, no. 3, pp. 649–658, 2002
  69. Glycerotoxin from Glycera convoluta stimulates neurosecretion by up-regulating N-type Ca2+ channel activity
    The EMBO Journal, vol. 21, no. 24, pp. 6733–6743, 2002
  70. Molecular determinants of opioid analgesia: Modulation of presynaptic calcium channels
    Drug Development Research, vol. 54, no. 3, pp. 118–128, 2002
  71. Pain control: What a pain!
    Drug Development Research, vol. 54, no. 3, pp. 117–117, 2002
  72. Journal of Membrane Biology, vol. 187, no. 3, pp. 225–238, 2002
  73. Multiple structural elements contribute to voltage-dependent facilitation of neuronal a1C (CaV1.2) L-type calcium channels
    Neuropharmacology, vol. 40, no. 8, pp. 1050–1057, 2001
  74. Structural determinants of fast inactivation of high voltage-activated Ca2+ channels
    Trends in Neurosciences, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 176–182, 2001
  75. Interactions between presynaptic Ca2+ channels, cytoplasmic messengers and proteins of the synaptic vesicle release complex
    Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, vol. 22, no. 10, pp. 519–525, 2001
  76. Identification of Inactivation Determinants in the Domain IIS6 Region of High Voltage-activated Calcium Channels
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 276, no. 35, pp. 33001–33010, 2001
  77. Calcium Channel beta Subunits Differentially Regulate the Inhibition of N-type Channels by Individual Gbeta Isoforms
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 276, no. 48, pp. 45051–45058, 2001
  78. Amino Acid Residues Outside of the Pore Region Contribute to N-type Calcium Channel Permeation
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 276, no. 8, pp. 5726–5730, 2001
  79. Residue Gly1326 of the N-type Calcium Channel alpha 1B Subunit Controls Reversibility of omega -Conotoxin GVIA and MVIIA Block
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 276, no. 19, pp. 15728–15735, 2001
  80. Voltage-dependent calcium channels — beyond dihydropyridine antagonists
    Current Opinion in Pharmacology, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 11–16, 2001
  81. Determinants of G Protein Inhibition of Presynaptic Calcium Channels
    Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 79–84, 2001
  82. G Protein Modulation of N-type Calcium Channels Is Facilitated by Physical Interactions between Syntaxin 1A and Gbeta gamma
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 275, no. 9, pp. 6388–6394, 2000
  83. Cross-talk between G-protein and Protein Kinase C Modulation of N-type Calcium Channels Is Dependent on the G-protein beta Subunit Isoform
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 275, no. 52, pp. 40777–40781, 2000
  84. Fast Inactivation of Voltage-dependent Calcium Channels. A HINGED-LID MECHANISM?
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 275, no. 32, pp. 24575–24582, 2000
  85. Differential modulation of N-type alpha1B and P/Q-type alpha1A calcium channels by different G protein beta subunit isoforms
    The Journal of Physiology, vol. 527, no. 2, pp. 203–212, 2000
  86. Cysteine String Protein Regulates G Protein Modulation of N-Type Calcium Channels
    Neuron, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 195–204, 2000
  87. Block of Voltage-dependent Calcium Channel by the Green Mamba Toxin Calcicludine
    Journal of Membrane Biology, vol. 174, no. 2, pp. 157–165, 2000
  88. Osteoblasts derived from load-bearing bones of the rat express both L- and T-like voltage-operated calcium channels and mRNA for α 1C , α 1D and α 1G subunits
    Pfl�gers Archiv European Journal of Physiology, vol. 438, no. 4, pp. 553–560, 1999
  89. Cytoplasmic Determinants of Piperidine Blocking Affinity for N-type Calcium Channels
    Journal of Membrane Biology, vol. 167, no. 2, pp. 183–192, 1999
  90. Modulation of Neuronal Voltage-gated Calcium Channels by Farnesol
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 274, no. 36, pp. 25439–25446, 1999
  91. Identification of an Integration Center for Cross-talk between Protein Kinase C and G Protein Modulation of N-type Calcium Channels
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 274, no. 10, pp. 6195–6202, 1999
  92. Nature Neuroscience, vol. 2, no. 5, pp. 407–415, 1999
  93. Multiple Structural Domains Contribute to Voltage-dependent Inactivation of Rat Brain alpha 1E Calcium Channels
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 274, no. 32, pp. 22428–22436, 1999
  94. Decay of prepulse facilitation of N type calcium channels during G protein inhibition is consistent with binding of a single Gbeta gamma subunit
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 95, no. 7, pp. 4035–4039, 1998
  95. Modulation of voltage-dependent calcium channels by G proteins
    Current Opinion in Neurobiology, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 351–356, 1998
  96. Molecular and kinetic determinants of local anaesthetic action on sodium channels
    Toxicology Letters, vol. 100-101, no. 1-2, pp. 247–254, 1998
  97. Antagonist binding sites of voltage-dependent calcium channels
    Drug Development Research, vol. 42, no. 3-4, pp. 131–143, 1997
  98. Crosstalk between G proteins and protein kinase C mediated by the calcium channel a1 subunit
    Nature, vol. 385, no. 6615, Article ID 385442a0, 4 pages, 1997
  99. Simulation of the transient behaviour of a stirred liquid/liquid extraction column
    Computers & Chemical Engineering, vol. 20, pp. S963–S968, 1996
  100. Interactions between a Pore-Blocking Peptide and the Voltage Sensor of the Sodium Channel: An Electrostatic Approach to Channel Geometry
    Neuron, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 407–413, 1996
  101. Nickel Block of a Family of Neuronal Calcium Channels: Subtype- and Subunit-Dependent Action at Multiple Sites
    Journal of Membrane Biology, vol. 151, no. 1, pp. 77–90, 1996
  102. Evidence for a specific site for modulation of calcium channel activation by external calcium ions
    Pflügers Archiv European Journal of Physiology, vol. 431, no. 3, p. 470, 1996
  103. Biochemical and biophysical studies of the interaction of class I antiarrhythmic drugs with the cardiac sodium channel
    Drug Development Research, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 277–294, 1994
  104. Biochemistry, vol. 31, no. 35, pp. 8229–8238, 1992