Abstract
Calcium (Ca(2+)) plays a central role in excitation, contraction, transcription, and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMs). Precise regulation of intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) is crucial for proper physiological VSM function. Studies over the last several decades have revealed that VSMs express a variety of Ca(2+)-permeable channels that orchestrate a dynamic, yet finely tuned regulation of [Ca(2+)](i). In this review, we discuss the major Ca(2+)-permeable channels expressed in VSM and their contribution to vascular physiology and pathology.