title: Signal function of potassium channels--clinical aspects.
abstract: Potassium (K+) channels are the most diverse class of ion channels, and are important for regulating neuronal excitability and signaling activity in a variety of ways. They are major determinants of membrane excitability, influencing the resting potential of membranes, wave forms and frequencies of action potentials, and thresholds of excitation. Voltage-gated K+ cannels exist not as independent units merely responding to changes in transmembrane potential but as macromolecular complexes able to integrate a plethora of cellular signals that fine tune channel activities. There are a wide variety of therapeutic agents that are targeted to non-K+ channels, but result in unintended block of K+ channels. This K+ channel block can result in potentially serious and sometimes even fatal side effects.
authors.affiliation: O.O. Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology, National Academy of Science of Ukraine, Kyiv. magura@biph.kiev.ua
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Magura
authors.forename: O I
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Magura
authors.forename: O V
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Dolga
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Bogdanova
authors.forename: Sh
authors.initials: Sh
authors.lastname: Ageev
authors.forename: N Kh
authors.initials: NKh
authors.lastname: Pogorela
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030342:Genetic Diseases, Inborn / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels