Voltage gated calcium channels (Cav) are composed of up to five proteins: The ion conducting pore subunit ?1 and the auxiliary subunits ?2, ?, ?, and ?. Recent reports show that Cav?1 and Cav? comprise the calcium channel core complex and that ?, ?2 ? and ? may serve additional roles that are independent of the Cav?1 subunit. This short review will summarize these emerging functions.