Critical roles of a small conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel (SK3) in the repolarization process of atrial myocytes.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Small conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels (K(Ca)2 or SK channels) have been reported in excitable cells, where they aid in integrating changes in intracellular Ca(2+) (Ca(i)²⁺) with membrane potentials. We have recently reported the functional expression of SK channels in human and mouse cardiac myocytes. Additionally, we have found that the channel is highly expressed in atria compared with the ventricular myocytes. We demonstrated that human cardiac myocytes expressed all three members of SK channels (SK1, 2, and 3); moreover, the different members are capable of forming heteromultimers. Here, we directly tested the contribution of SK3 to the overall repolarization of atrial action potentials.

Methods and results

We took advantage of a mouse model with site-spe

SUBMITTER: Zhang XD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3896251 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature