Two channels for one job.
The study by Rieg et al. is the first to examine potassium handling in BK(-/-) mice, thereby addressing many unanswered questions regarding the separate roles of BK and ROMK channels in renal potassium secretion. This Commentary is an interpretation and opinion of their results, by two researchers who have been studying BK and ROMK, respectively, as potassium secretory channels in the distal nephron.
Sansom
S C
SC
Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA. ssansom@unmc.edu
Welling
P A
PA
D000818:Animals; D051036:Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009399:Nephrons / Q000737:chemistry; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying / Q000502:physiology*
C510693:Kcnj1 protein, mouse; D051036:Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D011188:Potassium