International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. C. Nomenclature and Properties of Calcium-Activated and Sodium-Activated Potassium Channels

Leonard K Kaczmarek; Richard W Aldrich; K George Chandy; Stephan Grissmer; Aguan D Wei; Heike Wulff

doi:10.1124/pr.116.012864

International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. C. Nomenclature and Properties of Calcium-Activated and Sodium-Activated Potassium Channels

Pharmacol Rev. 2017 Jan;69(1):1-11. doi: 10.1124/pr.116.012864. Epub 2016 Nov 15.

Authors

Leonard K Kaczmarek¹, Richard W Aldrich², K George Chandy², Stephan Grissmer², Aguan D Wei², Heike Wulff²

Affiliations

¹ Departments of Pharmacology and Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut (L.K.K.); Center for Learning and Memory and Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas (R.W.A.); Laboratory of Molecular Physiology in the Infection and Immunity Theme, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (K.G.C.); Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany (S.G.); Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington (A.D.W.); and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, California (H.W.) leonard.kaczmarek@yale.edu.
² Departments of Pharmacology and Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut (L.K.K.); Center for Learning and Memory and Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas (R.W.A.); Laboratory of Molecular Physiology in the Infection and Immunity Theme, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (K.G.C.); Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany (S.G.); Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington (A.D.W.); and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, California (H.W.).

PMID: 28267675
DOI: 10.1124/pr.116.012864

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.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Calcium / metabolism*
Chlorides / metabolism*
Humans
Intermediate-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels / classification
Intermediate-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels / metabolism
Ion Channel Gating*
Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel alpha Subunits / classification
Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel alpha Subunits / metabolism
Male
Potassium Channels / classification*
Potassium Channels / metabolism*
Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated / classification*
Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated / metabolism*
Sodium / metabolism*
Spermatozoa / metabolism
Terminology as Topic*

Substances

Chlorides
Intermediate-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels
KCNMA1 protein, human
KCNN4 protein, human
Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel alpha Subunits
Potassium Channels
Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated
Sodium
Calcium

Grants and funding

R01 DC001919/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/United States