Chem Biol Drug Des 2014; 83: 1–26 Review Potassium Channels: Structures, Diseases, and Modulators Chuan Tian1,2,†, Ruixin Zhu1,†, Lixin Zhu3, Tianyi and Lange-Nielsen syndrome; K2p channels, two-pore Qiu1, Zhiwei Cao1,* and Tingguo Kang2,* domain background K channels; KATP, ATP-sensitive K chan- nels; Kca channels, calcium-activated K channels; Kir chan- 1School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji nels, inward rectifying K channels; Kv channels, voltage-gated University, Shanghai 200092, China K channels; LQTS, long QT syndrome; PD, pore domain; 2School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University of Traditional PIP2, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate; PKA, protein kin- Chinese Medicine, Dalian, Liaoning, 116600, China ases A; PKC, protein kinases C; PNDM, permanent neonatal 3Department of Pediatrics, Digestive Diseases and diabetes mellitus; RCK, regulator of K conductance; RWS, Nutrition Center, The State University of New York at Romano-Ward syndrome; SIDS, sudden infant death syn- Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14226, USA drome; SK channels, small-conductance K channels; SNP, *Corresponding authors: Tingguo Kang, single nucleotide polymorphism; SQTS, short QT syndrome;
[email protected]; Zhiwei Cao,
[email protected] SUMO, small ubiquitin-like modifier; TM, transmembrane; † These authors contributed equally to this work SUR, sulfonylurea receptors; VSDs, voltage-sensing domains. Potassium channels participate in many critical biologi- cal functions and play important roles in a variety of diseases. In recent years, many significant discoveries have been made which motivate us to review these Potassium channels are a diverse family of membrane pro- achievements. The focus of our review is mainly on teins in both excitable and non-excitable cells. The human three aspects.