K+ channels as therapeutic drug targets

K+ channels play critical roles in a wide variety of physiological processes, including the regulation of heart rate, muscle contraction, neurotransmitter release, neuronal excitability, insulin secretion, epithelial electrolyte transport, cell volume regulation, and cell proliferation. As such, K+ channels have been recognized as potential therapeutic drug targets for many years. Unfortunately, progress toward identifying selective K+ channel modulators has been severely hampered by the need to use native currents and primary cells in the drug-screening process. Today, however, more than 80 K+ channel and K+ channel-related genes have been identified, and an understanding of the molecular composition of many important native K+ currents has begun to emerge. The identification of these molecular K+ channel drug targets should lead to the discovery of novel drug candidates. A summary of progress is presented. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.