Definition
Potassium (K+) channels are proteins which span the membrane of cells and are selectively permeable to K+ ions.
Characteristics
Potassium (K+) channels are proteins which span the membrane of cells and which, when open, allow the selective flow of K+ ions from one side of the membrane to the other (usually from the inside of the cell to the outside). They can be gated by a variety of stimuli including voltage, changes in intracellular Ca2+ and certain other physiological mediators. In neurons, they have a number of functional roles related, primarily, to the electrical properties of the membrane. As such, they determine the neuronal action potential frequency, shape the neuronal action potential waveform (Action potential) and control the strength of synaptic contacts between neurons [see 1]. Additionally, certain K+ channels regulate the absolute excitability of neurons and set (or contribute to) the neuronal resting membrane potential [2] (Membrane Potential – Basics)....
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Bean BP (2007) The action potential in mammalian central neurons. Nat Rev Neurosci 8:451–465
Hille B (2001) Ion channels of excitable membranes. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland MA
Ashcroft FM (2000) Ion channels and disease. Academic Press, London
Yu FH, Yarov-Yarovoy V, Gutman GA, Catterall WA (2005) Overview of molecular relationships in the voltage-gated ion channel superfamily. Pharmacol Rev 57:387–395
Coetzee WA, Amarillo Y, Chiu J, Chow A, Lau D, McCormack T, Moreno H, Nadal MS, Ozaita A, Pountney D, Saganich M, Vega-Saenz de Miera E, Rudy B (1999) Molecular diversity of K channels. Ann NY Acad Sci 868:233–285
MacKinnon R (2004) Nobel Lecture: Potassium channels and the atomic basis of selective ion conduction. Biosci Rep 24:75–100
Yellen G (2002) The voltage-gated potassium channels and their relatives. Nature 419:35–42
Tombola F, Pathak MM, Isacoff RY (2006) How does voltage open an ion channel? Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 22:23–52
Song P, Yang Y, Barnes-Davies M, Bhattacharjee A, Hamann M, Forsythe ID, Oliver DL, Kacmarek LK (2005) Acoustic environment determines phosphorylation state of the Kv3.1 potassium channel in auditory neurons. Nat Neurosci 8:1335–1342
Trimmer JS, Rhodes KJ (2004) Localisation of voltage-gated ion channels in mammalian brain. Annu Rev Physiol 66:477–519
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2009 Springer-Verlag GmbH Berlin Heidelberg
About this entry
Cite this entry
Mathie, A., Veale, E.L. (2009). Neuronal Potassium Channels. In: Binder, M.D., Hirokawa, N., Windhorst, U. (eds) Encyclopedia of Neuroscience. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_3922
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_3922
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-23735-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-29678-2
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences