title: International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. C. Nomenclature and Properties of Calcium-Activated and Sodium-Activated Potassium Channels.
abstract: A subset of potassium channels is regulated primarily by changes in the cytoplasmic concentration of ions, including calcium, sodium, chloride, and protons. The eight members of this subfamily were originally all designated as calcium-activated channels. More recent studies have clarified the gating mechanisms for these channels and have documented that not all members are sensitive to calcium. This article describes the molecular relationships between these channels and provides an introduction to their functional properties. It also introduces a new nomenclature that differentiates between calcium- and sodium-activated potassium channels.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pharmacology and Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut (L.K.K.); Center for Learning and Memory and Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas (R.W.A.); Laboratory of Molecular Physiology in the Infection and Immunity Theme, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (K.G.C.); Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany (S.G.); Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington (A.D.W.); and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, California (H.W.) leonard.kaczmarek@yale.edu.
authors.forename: Leonard K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Kaczmarek
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pharmacology and Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut (L.K.K.); Center for Learning and Memory and Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas (R.W.A.); Laboratory of Molecular Physiology in the Infection and Immunity Theme, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (K.G.C.); Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany (S.G.); Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington (A.D.W.); and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, California (H.W.).
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Aldrich
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pharmacology and Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut (L.K.K.); Center for Learning and Memory and Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas (R.W.A.); Laboratory of Molecular Physiology in the Infection and Immunity Theme, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (K.G.C.); Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany (S.G.); Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington (A.D.W.); and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, California (H.W.).
authors.forename: K George
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Chandy
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pharmacology and Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut (L.K.K.); Center for Learning and Memory and Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas (R.W.A.); Laboratory of Molecular Physiology in the Infection and Immunity Theme, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (K.G.C.); Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany (S.G.); Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington (A.D.W.); and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, California (H.W.).
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grissmer
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pharmacology and Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut (L.K.K.); Center for Learning and Memory and Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas (R.W.A.); Laboratory of Molecular Physiology in the Infection and Immunity Theme, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (K.G.C.); Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany (S.G.); Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington (A.D.W.); and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, California (H.W.).
authors.forename: Aguan D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pharmacology and Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut (L.K.K.); Center for Learning and Memory and Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas (R.W.A.); Laboratory of Molecular Physiology in the Infection and Immunity Theme, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (K.G.C.); Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany (S.G.); Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington (A.D.W.); and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, California (H.W.).
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wulff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002712:Chlorides / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D051660:Intermediate-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D051037:Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel alpha Subunits / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D024681:Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism; D009626:Terminology as Topic
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D051660:Intermediate-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels; C494841:KCNMA1 protein, human; C496923:KCNN4 protein, human; D051037:Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel alpha Subunits; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024681:Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated; D012964:Sodium; D002118:Calcium