Patent ID: 7297504

Claim:
A method to identify an antagonist of a T-type calcium channel which method comprises: a) contacting a recombinant cell expressing the α 1 subunit of a heterologous T-type calcium channel with a known agonist of said T-type calcium channel; b) contacting said cell with a compound to be tested; and c) determining the ability of said compound to diminish the activation of said α 1 subunit by said agonist; wherein said α 1 subunit is functional as a T-type calcium ion channel and is encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 23 and wherein said activating comprises enhancing the flow of calcium ions into said cell in the presence as compared to the absence of said agonist; whereby a compound which diminishes the activation of said α 1 subunit by said agonist is identified as an antagonist.