Molecular Choreography and Structure of Ca Release-Activated Ca (CRAC) and K Channels and Their Relevance in Disease with Special Focus on Cancer.

Ca ions play a variety of roles in the human body as well as within a single cell. Cellular Ca signal transduction processes are governed by Ca sensing and Ca transporting proteins. In this review, we discuss the Ca and the Ca-sensing ion channels with particular focus on the structure-function relationship of the Ca release-activated Ca (CRAC) ion channel, the Ca-activated K (K) ion channels, and their modulation via other cellular components. Moreover, we highlight their roles in healthy signaling processes as well as in disease with a special focus on cancer. As K channels are activated via elevations of intracellular Ca levels, we summarize the current knowledge on the action mechanisms of the interplay of CRAC and K ion channels and their role in cancer cell development.