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. 2010 Jun 3;26(3):265–271. doi: 10.1007/s12264-010-1217-4

Modulation of the activity of dopaminergic neurons by SK channels: a potential target for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease?

小电导钙激活钾通道对多巴 胺能神经元活性的调节: 可能成为一种治疗帕金森病的新策略

Xiao-Kun Liu 1, Gang Wang 1,✉, Sheng-Di Chen 1,2,✉
PMCID: PMC5560298  PMID: 20502506

Abstract

SK channels are small conductance calcium-activated potassium channels that are widely expressed in different neurons with distinct subtypes. They play an important role in modulating synaptic plasticity, dopaminergic neurotransmission, and learning and memory. The present review was mainly focused on the recent findings on the contradictory roles of SK channels in modulating dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra and in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Besides, whether modulation of SK channels could be a potential target for PD treatment was also discussed.

Keywords: small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel, Parkinson’s disease, afterhyperpolarization, dopaminergic neuron

Footnotes

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Contributor Information

Gang Wang, Email: wgneuron@hotmail.com.

Sheng-Di Chen, Phone: +86-21-64457249, Email: chen_sd@medmail.com.cn.

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