Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Calcium-activated potassium channels: Regulation by calcium

  • Mini-Review
  • Published:
Journal of Bioenergetics and Biomembranes Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A wide variety of calcium-activated K channels has been described and can be conveniently separated into three classes based on differences in single-channel conductance, voltage dependence of channel opening, and sensitivity to blockers. Large-conductance calcium-activated K channels typically require micromolar concentrations of calcium to open, and their sensitivity to calcium increases with membrane depolarization, suggesting that they may be involved in repolarization events. Small-conductance calcium-activated K channels are generally more sensitive to calcium at negative membrane potentials, but their sensitivity to calcium is independent of membrane potential, suggesting that they may be involved in regulating membrane properties near the resting potential. Intermediate-conductance calcium-activated K channels are a loosely defined group, where membership is determined because a channel does not fit in either of the other two groups. Within each broad group, variations in calcium sensitivity and single-channel conductance have been observed, suggesting that there may be families of closely related calcium-activated K channels. Kinetic studies of the gating of calcium-activated potassium channels have revealed some basic features of the mechanisms involved in activation of these channels by calcium, including the number of calcium ions participating in channel opening, the number of major conformations of the channels involved in the gating process, and the number of transition pathways between open and closed states. Methods of analysis have been developed that may allow identification of models that give accurate descriptions of the gating of these channels. Although such kinetic models are likely to be oversimplifications of the behavior of a large macromolecule, these models may provide some insight into the mechanisms that control the gating of the channel, and are subject to falsification by new data.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adair, G. S. (1925).J. Biol. Chem. 63, 529–545.

    Google Scholar 

  • Adams, P. R., Constanti, A., Brown, D. A., and Clark, R. B. (1982).Nature (London)296, 746–749.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ball, F. G., Kerry, C. J., Ramsey, R. L., Sansom, M. S. P., and Usherwood, P. N. R. (1988).Biophys. J. 54, 309–320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ball, F. G., and Sansom, M. S. P. (1988).Biophys. J. 53, 819–832.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ball, F. G., and Sansom, M. S. P. (1989).Proc. R. Soc. London B 236, 385–416.

    Google Scholar 

  • Banks, B. E. C., Brown, C., Burgess, G. M., Burnstock, G., Claret, M., Cocks, T. M., and Jenkinson, D. H. (1979).Nature (London)282, 415–417.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrett, J. N., Magleby, K. L., and Pallotta, B. S. (1982).J. Physiol. 331, 211–230.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bates, S. E., Sansom, M. S. P., Ball, F. G., Ramsey, R. L., and Usherwood, P. N. R. (1990).Biophys. J. 58, 219–229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bauer, R. J., Bowman, B. F., and Kenyon, J. L. (1987).Biophys. J. 52, 961–978.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benham, C. D., Bolton, T. B., Lang, K. J., and Takewaki, T. (1986).J. Physiol. 371, 45–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blair, L. A., and Dionne, V. E. (1985).Nature (London)315, 329–331.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blatz, A. L., and Magleby, K. L. (1984).J. Gen. Physiol. 84, 1–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blatz, A. L., and Magleby, K. L. (1986a).Biophys. J. 49, 967–980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blatz, A. L., and Magleby, K. L. (1986b).J. Physiol. 378, 141–174.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blatz, A. L., and Magleby, K. L. (1986c).Nature (London)323, 718–720.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blatz, A. L., and Magleby, K. L. (1987).Trends Neurosci. 10, 463–467.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blatz, A. L., and Magleby, K. L. (1989).J. Physiol. 410, 561–585.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolotina, V., Omelyanenko, V., Heyes, B., Ryan, U., and Bregestovski, P. (1989).Pflugers Arch. 415, 262–268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bregestovi, P. D., Printseva, O. Y., Serebryakov, V., Stinnakre, J., Turmin, A., and Zamoyski, V. (1988).Pflugers Arch. 413, 8–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Capoid, T., and Ogden, D. C. (1989).J. Physiol. 409, 285–295.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carl, A., and Sanders, K. M. (1989).Am. J. Physiol. 257, C470-C480.

    Google Scholar 

  • Castle, N. A., Haylett, D. G., and Jenkinson, D. H. (1989).Trends Neurosci. 12, 59–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen, O., and Zeuthen, T. (1987).Pflugers Arch. 408, 249–259.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole, W. C., and Sanders, K. M. (1989).Am. J. Physiol. 257, C596-C600.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colquhoun, D., and Hawkes, A. G. (1977).Proc. R. Soc. London B 199, 231–262.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colquhoun, D., and Hawkes, A. G. (1981).Proc. R. Soc. London B 211, 205–235.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colquhoun, D., and Hawkes, A. G. (1987).Proc. R. Soc. London B 230, 15–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colquhoun, D., and Sigworth, F. J. (1983). InSingle-Channel Recording (Sakmann, B., and Neher, E., eds.), Plenum Press, New York, pp. 191–263.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, D. L., Ikeuchi, M., and Fujimoto, W. Y. (1984).Nature (London)311, 269–271.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cornejo, M., Guggino, S. E., and Guggino, W. B. (1987).J. Membr. Biol. 99, 147–155.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ewald, D. A., Williams, A., and Levitan, I. B. (1985).Nature (London)315, 503–506.

    Google Scholar 

  • Findlay, I. (1984).J. Physiol. 350, 179–195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Findlay, I., Dunne, M. J., and Petersen, O. H. (1985).J. Member. Biol. 83, 169–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Franciolini, F. (1988).Biochim. Biophys. Acta 943, 419–427.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fredkin, D. R., Montal, M., and Rice, J. A. (1985). InProceedings of the Berkeley Conference in Honor of Jerzy Neyman and Jack Kiefer (Lecam, L. M., and Olshen, R. A. eds.), Wadsworth Press, Belmont, pp. 269–289.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fredkin, D. R., and Rice, J. A. (1986).J. Appl. Probab. 23, 208–214.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galvez, A., Gimenez-Gallego, G., Reuben, J. P., Roy-Contancin, L., Feigenbaum, P., Kaczorowski, G., and Garcia, M. L. (1990).J. Biol. Chem. 265, 11083–11090.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gola, M., Ducreux, C., and Chagneux, H. (1990).J. Physiol. 420, 73–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Golowasch, J., Kirkwood, A., and Miller, C. (1986).J. Exp. Biol. 124, 5–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grygorczyk, R., Schwarz, W., and Passow, H. (1984).Biophys. J. 45, 693–698.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurney, A. M., Tsien, R. Y., and Lester, H. A. (1987).Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84, 3496–3500.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horn, R. (1987).Biophys. J. 51, 255–263.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horn, R., and Lange, K. (1983).Biophys. J. 43, 207–223.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horn, R., and Vandenberg, C. A. (1984).J. Gen. Physiol. 84, 505–534.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu, S. L., Yamamoto, T., and Kao, C. Y. (1989).J. Gen. Physiol. 94, 833–847.

    Google Scholar 

  • Inoue, R., Kitamura, K., and Kuriyama, H. (1985).Pflugers Arch. 405, 173–179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Inoue, R., Okabe, K., Kitamura, K., and Kuriyama, H. (1986).Pflugers Arch. 406, 138–143.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jia, M., Ehrenstein, G., and Iwasa, K. (1988).Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA,85, 7236–7239.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, T. R., Charette, L., Garcia, M. L., and Kaczorowski, G. J. (1990).J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.,255, 697–706.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kienkar, P. (1989).Proc. R. Soc. London B 236, 269–309.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolb, H. A., Brown, C. D. A., and Murer, H. (1986).J. Membr. Biol. 92, 207–215.

    Google Scholar 

  • Korn, S. J., and Horn, R. (1988).Biophys. J. 54, 871–877.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kume, H., Takagi, K., Satake, T., Tokuno, H., and Tomita, T. (1990).J. Physiol. 424, 445–457.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lancaster, B., and Nicoll, R. A. (1987).J. Physiol. 389, 187–203.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lang, D. G., and Ritchie, A. K. (1987).Pflugers Arch. 410, 614–622.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lang, D. G., and Ritchie, A. K. (1990).J. Physiol. 425, 117–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Latorre, R., Vergara, C., and Hidalgo, C. (1982).Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 79, 805–809.

    Google Scholar 

  • Latorre, R., Oberhauser, A., Labarca, P., and Alvarez, O. (1989).Annu. Rev. Physiol. 51, 385–399.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levitt, D. G. (1989).Biophys. J. 55, 489–498.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacKinnon, R., and Miller, C. (1989).Biochemistry 28, 8087–8092.

    Google Scholar 

  • Magleby, K. L., and Pallotta, B. S. (1983a).J. Physiol. 344, 585–604.

    Google Scholar 

  • Magleby, K. L., and Pallotta, B. S. (1983b).J. Physiol. 344, 605–623.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahamut-Smith, M. P., and Schlichter, L. C. (1989).J. Physiol. 415, 69–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marty, A. (1981).Nature (London)291, 497–500.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marty, A., Tan, Y. P., and Trautman, A. (1984).J. Physiol. 357, 293–325.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maruyama, Y., Petersen, O. H., Flanagan, P., and Pearson, G. T. (1983).Nature (London)305, 228–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maue, R. A., and Dionne, V. E. (1987).J. Gen. Physiol. 90, 95–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, E. A., Loo, D. D. F., Snape, W. J., and Sachs, G. (1990).J. Physiol. 420, 47–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • McManus, O. B., and Magleby, K. L. (1984).Biophys. J. 45, 306a.

    Google Scholar 

  • McManus, O. B., and Magleby, K. L. (1985).Biophys. J. 47, 137a.

    Google Scholar 

  • McManus, O. B., and Magleby, K. L. (1988).J. Physiol. 402, 79–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • McManus, O. B., and Magleby, K. L. (1989).J. Gen Physiol. 94, 1037–1070.

    Google Scholar 

  • McManus, O. B., Blatz, A. L., and Magleby, K. L. (1985).Nature (London)317, 625–627.

    Google Scholar 

  • McManus, O. B., Weiss, D. S., Spivak, C. E., Blatz, A. L., and Magleby, K. L. (1988).Biophys. J. 54, 859–870.

    Google Scholar 

  • Methfessel, C., and Boheim, G. (1982).Biophys. Struct. Mech. 9, 35–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, C., Moczydlowski, E., Latorre, R., and Phillips, M. (1985).Nature (London)313, 316–318.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, D. J., and Smith, G. L. (1984).Am. J. Physiol. 246, C160–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moczydlowski, E., and Latorre, R. (1983).J. Gen. Physiol. 82, 511–542.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moczydlowski, E., Alvarez, O., Vergara, C., and Latorre, R. (1985).J. Membr. Biol. 83, 273–282.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moczydlowski, E., Lucchesi, K., and Ravindran, A. (1988).J. Membr. Biol. 105, 95–111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oberhauser, A., Alverez, O., and Latorre, R. (1988).J. Gen. Physiol. 92, 67–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pallotta, B. S. (1985).J. Physiol. 363, 501–516.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pallotta, B. S., Magleby, K. L., and Barrett, J. N. (1981).Nature (London)293, 471–474.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pallotta, B. S., Helper, J. R., Oglesby, S. A., and Harden, T. K. (1987).J. Gen. Physiol. 89, 985–997.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pennefather, P., Lancaster, B., Adams, P. R., and Nicoll, R. A. (1985).Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82, 3040–3044.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petersen, O. H. (1986).Am. J. Physiol. 251, G1-G13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petersen, O. H., and Maruyama, Y. (1984).Nature (London)307, 693–696.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramanan, S. V., and Brink, P. R. (1990).Biophys. J. 57, 893–901.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reinhart, P. H., Chung, S., and Levitan, I. B. (1989).Neuron 2, 1031–1041.

    Google Scholar 

  • Renaud, J.-F., Desnuelle, C., Schmid-Antomarchi, H., Hughes, M., Serratrice, G., and Lazdunski, M. (1986).Nature (London)319, 678–680.

    Google Scholar 

  • Romey, G., and Lazdunski, M. (1984).Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 118, 669–674.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sadoshima, J.-I., Akaike, N., Tomoike, T., and Nakamura, H. K. M. (1988).Am. J. Physiol. 255, H410-H418.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saimi, Y., and Martinac, B. (1989).J. Membr. Biol. 112, 79–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schweitz, H., Bidard, J.-N., Maes, P., and Lazdunski, M. (1989).Biochemistry 28, 9708–9714.

    Google Scholar 

  • Segal, Y., and Reuss, L. (1990).J. Gen. Physiol. 95, 791–818.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheppard, D. N., Giraldez, F., and Sepulveda, F. V. (1988).J. Membr. Biol. 105, 65–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singer, J. J., and Walsh, J. V. (1987).Pflugers Arch. 408, 98–111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinberg, I. Z. (1987).Biophys. J. 52, 47–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tabcharani, J. A., and Misler, S. (1989).Biochim. Biophys. Acta 982, 62–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toro, L., Ramos-Franco, J., and Stefani, E. (1990).J. Gen. Physiol. 96, 373–394.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaca, L., Toro, L., and Stefani, E. (1989).Biophys. J. 55, 536a.

  • Velasco, J. M., and Petersen, O. H. (1987).Biochim. Biophys. Acta 896, 305–310.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vergara, C., Latorre, R. (1983).J. Gen. Physiol. 82, 543–568.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, D. L., Katz, G. M., Roy-Contancin, L., and Reuben, J. P. (1988).Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85, 9360–9364.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winquist, R. J., Heany, L. A., Wallace, A. A., Baskin, E. P., Stein, R. B., Garcia, M. L., and Kaczorowski, G. (1989).J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 248, 149–156.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong, B. S., Lecar, H., and Adler, M. (1982).Biophys. J. 39, 313–317.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yellen, G. (1984).J. Gen. Physiol. 84, 157–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeo, G. F., Milne, R. K., Edeson, R. O., and Madsen, B. W. (1988).Proc. R. Soc. London B 235, 63–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zagotta, W. N., and Aldrich, R. W. (1990).J. Gen. Physiol. 95, 29–60.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Merck Institute for Therapeutic Research, 07065, Rahway, New Jersey

    Owen B. McManus

Authors
  1. Owen B. McManus
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

McManus, O.B. Calcium-activated potassium channels: Regulation by calcium. J Bioenerg Biomembr 23, 537–560 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00785810

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00785810

Key Words

Search

Navigation