International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. C. Nomenclature and Properties of Calcium-Activated and Sodium-Activated Potassium Channels
Abstract
A subset of potassium channels is regulated primarily by changes in the cytoplasmic concentration of ions, including calcium, sodium, chloride, and protons. The eight members of this subfamily were originally all designated as calcium-activated channels. More recent studies have clarified the gating mechanisms for these channels and have documented that not all members are sensitive to calcium. This article describes the molecular relationships between these channels and provides an introduction to their functional properties. It also introduces a new nomenclature that differentiates between calcium- and sodium-activated potassium channels.
Footnotes
The authors serve as the Subcommittee on Calcium-Activated and Sodium-Activated Potassium Channels of the Nomenclature Committee of the International Union of Pharmacology (NC-IUPHAR).
- Copyright © 2016 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
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- Article
- Abstract
- I. Introduction
- II. KCa1.1—The Prototypical Ca2+-Activated Channel
- III. The KCa2 Family—Small Conductance Channels Regulated by Calmodulin
- IV. KCa3.1—A Multifunctional Intermediate-conductance Channel Regulated by Calmodulin
- V. The KNa1 Family—Channels Regulated by Intracellular Na+ and Cl−
- VI. KCa5.1—A Channel Specific to Sperm Cells
- VII. Summary
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