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

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

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Review

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

Leonard K Kaczmarek et al. Pharmacol Rev. 2017 Jan.

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.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Phylogenetic relations among members of the Ca2+- and Na+-dependent K+ channel families.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Schematic representations of the transmembrane topology of KCa and KNa channels.

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