title: Expression of novel potassium channels in the chick basilar papilla.
abstract: Ionic currents are critical for the functioning of the inner ear auditory sensory epithelium. We set out to identify and molecularly clone the genes encoding the channels responsible for several currents in the chick basilar papilla. Here we describe an inward-rectifying K+ channel, cKir2.3, present in both hair cells and support cells in the apical end of the chick basilar papilla. The biophysical properties of the human ortholog, hKir2.3, are similar to those of an inward-rectifying channel found in the apical end of the chick basilar papilla, suggesting that this channel may contribute to the corresponding current. Additionally, we describe two new members of the Kv6 subfamily of putative regulatory voltage-gated K channels, cKv6.2 and cKv6.3. Both are expressed in hair cells in the apical end of the chick basilar papilla; cKv6.2 is also strongly expressed in support cells and in the brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: F V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Peale
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Rubel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bothwell
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002645:Chickens; D003051:Cochlea / Q000378:metabolism*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; C099489:KCNJ4 protein, human; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D012333:RNA, Messenger