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- Potassium channels
Overview
Activation of potassium channels regulates excitability and can control the shape of the action potential waveform. They are present in all cells within the body and can influence processes as diverse as cognition, muscle contraction and hormone secretion. Potassium channels are subdivided into families, based on their structural and functional properties. The largest family consists of potassium channels that activated by membrane depolarization, with other families consisting of channels that are either activated by a rise of intracellular calcium ions or are constitutively active. A standardised nomenclature for potassium channels has been proposed by the NC-IUPHAR subcommittees on potassium channels [1-4], which has placed cloned channels into groups based on gene family and structure of channels that exhibit 6, 4 or 2 transmembrane domains (TM).
Further reading
* Key recommended reading is highlighted with an asterisk
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Ashcroft FM, Gribble FM. (1998) Correlating structure and function in ATP-sensitive K+ channels. Trends Neurosci., 21 (7): 288-94. [PMID:9683320]
Barrese V, Stott JB, Greenwood IA. (2018) KCNQ-Encoded Potassium Channels as Therapeutic Targets. Annu. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol., 58: 625-648. [PMID:28992433]
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Bayliss DA, Barrett PQ. (2008) Emerging roles for two-pore-domain potassium channels and their potential therapeutic impact. Trends Pharmacol. Sci., 29 (11): 566-75. [PMID:18823665]
Bean BP. (2007) The action potential in mammalian central neurons. Nat. Rev. Neurosci., 8 (6): 451-65. [PMID:17514198]
Bezanilla F. (2000) The voltage sensor in voltage-dependent ion channels. Physiol. Rev., 80 (2): 555-92. [PMID:10747201]
* Borsotto M, Veyssiere J, Moha Ou Maati H, Devader C, Mazella J, Heurteaux C. (2015) Targeting two-pore domain K(+) channels TREK-1 and TASK-3 for the treatment of depression: a new therapeutic concept. Br. J. Pharmacol., 172 (3): 771-84. [PMID:25263033]
* Chang PC, Chen PS. (2015) SK channels and ventricular arrhythmias in heart failure. Trends Cardiovasc. Med., 25 (6): 508-14. [PMID:25743622]
Dalby-Brown W, Hansen HH, Korsgaard MP, Mirza N, Olesen SP. (2006) K(v)7 channels: function, pharmacology and channel modulators. Curr Top Med Chem, 6 (10): 999-1023. [PMID:16787276]
* Decher N, Kiper AK, Rinné S. (2017) Stretch-activated potassium currents in the heart: Focus on TREK-1 and arrhythmias. Prog. Biophys. Mol. Biol., 130 (Pt B): 223-232. [PMID:28526352]
Enyedi P, Czirják G. (2010) Molecular background of leak K+ currents: two-pore domain potassium channels. Physiol. Rev., 90 (2): 559-605. [PMID:20393194]
* Feliciangeli S, Chatelain FC, Bichet D, Lesage F. (2015) The family of K2P channels: salient structural and functional properties. J. Physiol. (Lond.), 593 (12): 2587-603. [PMID:25530075]
* Foster MN, Coetzee WA. (2016) KATP Channels in the Cardiovascular System. Physiol. Rev., 96 (1): 177-252. [PMID:26660852]
* Goldstein SA, Bayliss DA, Kim D, Lesage F, Plant LD, Rajan S. (2005) International Union of Pharmacology. LV. Nomenclature and molecular relationships of two-P potassium channels. Pharmacol. Rev., 57 (4): 527-40. [PMID:16382106]
Goldstein SA, Bockenhauer D, O'Kelly I, Zilberberg N. (2001) Potassium leak channels and the KCNK family of two-P-domain subunits. Nat. Rev. Neurosci., 2 (3): 175-84. [PMID:11256078]
* Greene DL, Hoshi N. (2017) Modulation of Kv7 channels and excitability in the brain. Cell. Mol. Life Sci., 74 (3): 495-508. [PMID:27645822]
* Gutman GA, Chandy KG, Adelman JP, Aiyar J, Bayliss DA, Clapham DE, Covarriubias M, Desir GV, Furuichi K, Ganetzky B et al.. (2003) International Union of Pharmacology. XLI. Compendium of voltage-gated ion channels: potassium channels. Pharmacol. Rev., 55 (4): 583-6. [PMID:14657415]
Hancox JC, McPate MJ, El Harchi A, Zhang YH. (2008) The hERG potassium channel and hERG screening for drug-induced torsades de pointes. Pharmacol. Ther., 119 (2): 118-32. [PMID:18616963]
Hansen JB. (2006) Towards selective Kir6.2/SUR1 potassium channel openers, medicinal chemistry and therapeutic perspectives. Curr. Med. Chem., 13 (4): 361-76. [PMID:16475928]
Honoré E. (2007) The neuronal background K2P channels: focus on TREK1. Nat. Rev. Neurosci., 8 (4): 251-61. [PMID:17375039]
Jenkinson DH. (2006) Potassium channels--multiplicity and challenges. Br. J. Pharmacol., 147 Suppl 1: S63-71. [PMID:16402122]
Judge SI, Bever CT. (2006) Potassium channel blockers in multiple sclerosis: neuronal Kv channels and effects of symptomatic treatment. Pharmacol. Ther., 111 (1): 224-59. [PMID:16472864]
* Kaczmarek LK, Aldrich RW, Chandy KG, Grissmer S, Wei AD, Wulff H. (2017) International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. C. Nomenclature and Properties of Calcium-Activated and Sodium-Activated Potassium Channels. Pharmacol. Rev., 69 (1): 1-11. [PMID:28267675]
Kaczorowski GJ, Garcia ML. (1999) Pharmacology of voltage-gated and calcium-activated potassium channels. Curr Opin Chem Biol, 3 (4): 448-58. [PMID:10419851]
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Kobayashi T, Ikeda K. (2006) G protein-activated inwardly rectifying potassium channels as potential therapeutic targets. Curr. Pharm. Des., 12 (34): 4513-23. [PMID:17168757]
* Kubo Y, Adelman JP, Clapham DE, Jan LY, Karschin A, Kurachi Y, Lazdunski M, Nichols CG, Seino S, Vandenberg CA. (2005) International Union of Pharmacology. LIV. Nomenclature and molecular relationships of inwardly rectifying potassium channels. Pharmacol. Rev., 57 (4): 509-26. [PMID:16382105]
* Latorre R, Castillo K, Carrasquel-Ursulaez W, Sepulveda RV, Gonzalez-Nilo F, Gonzalez C, Alvarez O. (2017) Molecular Determinants of BK Channel Functional Diversity and Functioning. Physiol. Rev., 97 (1): 39-87. [PMID:27807200]
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Lesage F. (2003) Pharmacology of neuronal background potassium channels. Neuropharmacology, 44 (1): 1-7. [PMID:12559116]
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Lüscher C, Slesinger PA. (2010) Emerging roles for G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels in health and disease. Nat. Rev. Neurosci., 11 (5): 301-15. [PMID:20389305]
Mannhold R. (2006) Structure-activity relationships of K(ATP) channel openers. Curr Top Med Chem, 6 (10): 1031-47. [PMID:16787278]
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* Niemeyer MI, Cid LP, González W, Sepúlveda FV. (2016) Gating, Regulation, and Structure in K2P K+ Channels: In Varietate Concordia?. Mol. Pharmacol., 90 (3): 309-17. [PMID:27268784]
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* Poveda JA, Marcela Giudici A, Lourdes Renart M, Morales A, González-Ros JM. (2017) Towards understanding the molecular basis of ion channel modulation by lipids: Mechanistic models and current paradigms. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1859 (9 Pt B): 1507-1516. [PMID:28408206]
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* Rifkin RA, Moss SJ, Slesinger PA. (2017) G Protein-Gated Potassium Channels: A Link to Drug Addiction. Trends Pharmacol. Sci., 38 (4): 378-392. [PMID:28188005]
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Takeda M, Tsuboi Y, Kitagawa J, Nakagawa K, Iwata K, Matsumoto S. (2011) Potassium channels as a potential therapeutic target for trigeminal neuropathic and inflammatory pain. Mol Pain, 7: 5. [PMID:21219657]
* Taylor KC, Sanders CR. (2017) Regulation of KCNQ/Kv7 family voltage-gated K+ channels by lipids. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1859 (4): 586-597. [PMID:27818172]
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* Vivier D, Bennis K, Lesage F, Ducki S. (2016) Perspectives on the Two-Pore Domain Potassium Channel TREK-1 (TWIK-Related K(+) Channel 1). A Novel Therapeutic Target?. J. Med. Chem., 59 (11): 5149-57. [PMID:26588045]
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* Wei AD, Gutman GA, Aldrich R, Chandy KG, Grissmer S, Wulff H. (2005) International Union of Pharmacology. LII. Nomenclature and molecular relationships of calcium-activated potassium channels. Pharmacol. Rev., 57 (4): 463-72. [PMID:16382103]
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References
1. Goldstein SA, Bayliss DA, Kim D, Lesage F, Plant LD, Rajan S. (2005) International Union of Pharmacology. LV. Nomenclature and molecular relationships of two-P potassium channels. Pharmacol. Rev., 57 (4): 527-40. [PMID:16382106]
2. Gutman GA, Chandy KG, Grissmer S, Lazdunski M, McKinnon D, Pardo LA, Robertson GA, Rudy B, Sanguinetti MC, Stühmer W, Wang X. (2005) International Union of Pharmacology. LIII. Nomenclature and molecular relationships of voltage-gated potassium channels. Pharmacol. Rev., 57 (4): 473-508. [PMID:16382104]
3. Kubo Y, Adelman JP, Clapham DE, Jan LY, Karschin A, Kurachi Y, Lazdunski M, Nichols CG, Seino S, Vandenberg CA. (2005) International Union of Pharmacology. LIV. Nomenclature and molecular relationships of inwardly rectifying potassium channels. Pharmacol. Rev., 57 (4): 509-26. [PMID:16382105]
4. Wei AD, Gutman GA, Aldrich R, Chandy KG, Grissmer S, Wulff H. (2005) International Union of Pharmacology. LII. Nomenclature and molecular relationships of calcium-activated potassium channels. Pharmacol. Rev., 57 (4): 463-72. [PMID:16382103]
How to cite this family page
Database page citation:
Potassium channels. Accessed on 22/08/2019. IUPHAR/BPS Guide to PHARMACOLOGY, http://www.guidetopharmacology.org/GRAC/FamilyDisplayForward?familyId=133.
Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY citation:
Alexander SPH, Striessnig J, Kelly E, Marrion NV, Peters JA, Faccenda E, Harding SD, Pawson AJ, Sharman JL, Southan C, Davies JA; CGTP Collaborators. (2017) The Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY 2017/18: Voltage-gated ion channels. Br J Pharmacol. 174 Suppl 1: S160-S194.
