Specialized surface membrane domains coupled with intracellular calcium stores are important in striated muscle function. One molecule essential in this relationship is the voltage dependent dihydropyridine-sensitive calcium channel.

A second molecule important in striated muscle function is troponint, a component of the striated muscle thin filament regulatory troponin complex.

Immunological and molecular biological tools which help us synthesize, purify and localize these proteins are coupled with physiological systems to examine the function of isoforms and mutants of the above proteins expressed in development and disease states.