Journal
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
Volume 593, Issue 12, Pages 2587-2603Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2014.287268
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Funding
- Fondation pour la Recherche Medicale (Equipe labellisee FRM)
- French Government (National Research Agency, ANR) [ANR-11-LABX-0015-01]
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Potassium channels participate in many biological functions, from ion homeostasis to generation and modulation of the electrical membrane potential. They are involved in a large variety of diseases. In the human genome, 15 genes code for K+ channels with two pore domains (K-2P). These channels form dimers of pore-forming subunits that produce background conductances finely regulated by a range of natural and chemical effectors, including signalling lipids, temperature, pressure, pH, antidepressants and volatile anaesthetics. Since the cloning of TWIK1, the prototypical member of this family, a lot of work has been carried out on their structure and biology. These studies are still in progress, but data gathered so far show that K-2P channels are central players in many processes, including ion homeostasis, hormone secretion, cell development and excitability. A growing number of studies underline their implication in physiopathological mechanisms, such as vascular and pulmonary hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, nociception, neuroprotection and depression. This review gives a synthetic view of the most noticeable features of these channels.
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