Signaling role of the voltage-gated calcium channel as the molecular on/off-switch of secretion

We propose a model, in which the Ca2+ binding at the EEEE motif and the consequent conformational changes in the channel are the primary event in triggering secretion, while synaptotagmin acts as a vesicle docking protein. Thus, the channel serves as the molecular On/Off signaling switch, where the predominance of a conformational change in Ca2+-bound channel provides for the fast secretory process.