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Neuronal Potassium Channels

Mathie, Alistair and Veale, Emma L. (2008) Neuronal Potassium Channels. In: Binder, Marc and Hirokawa, Nobutaka and Windhorst, Uwe, eds. Encyclopedia of Neuroscience (5 volumes). Springer Verlag, Berlin, pp. 2792-2797. ISBN 978-3-540-23735-8. (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:19480)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.

Abstract

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 calcium 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 and control the strength of synaptic contacts between neurons. Additionally, certain K channels regulate the absolute excitability of neurons and set (or contribute to) the neuronal resting membrane potential. Their physiological importance has been exemplified by the observations that mutations in K channel sequences in particular individuals leads to such varied clinical disorders as epilepsy, episodic ataxia, unregulated insulin secretion and deafness.

Item Type: Book section
Subjects: Q Science > QP Physiology (Living systems)
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Medway School of Pharmacy
Depositing User: Alistair Mathie
Date Deposited: 01 Jun 2009 13:08 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 09:57 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/19480 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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