Table 3.
Potassium channels in the PVN.
| Ion channel family | General role | Subtype Identified | Method | Relevance | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KV Voltage-activated | Controlling action potential characteristics, modulate neuronal excitability | KV1.1 and KV1.2 | Immunohistochemistry, patch clamp electrophysiology | Downstream effectors of NO on synaptic GABA release | Chung et al., 2001; Yang et al., 2007 |
| KV1.4 and KV4.3 | Immunohistochemistry | “A”-type K+ current | Sonner and Stern, 2005; Sonner and Stern, 2007; Sonner et al., 2008 | ||
| KV1.2, KV1.3, KV1.4, KV4.1, KV4.2 and KV4.3 | Patch clamp electrophysiology and RT-PCR | ↑ expression of KV4.2 and KV4.3 in “type I” neurones | Lee et al., 2012 | ||
| KV7.2 and KV7.3 | Patch clamp electrophysiology, ICV in vivo injections. | Acute stress decreases expression of KV7.3 and blunts M-current in CRH neurones. | Zhou et al., 2017 | ||
| KCa | Regulate neuronal excitability. | BK | Immunohistochemistry | Voltage-dependant | Sausbier et al., 2006 |
| Calcium-activated | Contribute to after-hyperpolarization | ||||
| SK1, SK2, and SK3 | Immunohistochemistry, patch-clamp electrophysiology, targeted in vivo injections | Inhibition leads to ↑ excitability, ↑RSNA, ↑SSNA ↑HR, ↑BP Decreased functionality ↑hyperexcitability | Kohler et al., 1996; Chen and Toney, 2009; Gui et al., 2012; Pachuau et al., 2014 | ||
| KATP ATP-sensitive | Modulate excitability | – | Patch-clamp electrophysiology, computational modeling | Adenosine ↓excitability via adenosine receptors | Lewis et al., 2010; Li et al., 2010 |
| GIRK g-protein coupled inwardly rectifying | Synaptic inhibition through activation of GPCRs | GIRK1, GIRK2, and GIRK3 | Immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization | Role in presynaptic inhibition of neurotransmitter release? | Morishige et al., 1996; Shirasaka et al., 2007; Saenz del Burgo et al., 2008 |
| Kir | Diverse functions such as maintaining action potential and regulating insulin release | Kir2.1 | Overexpression of Kir2.1 controls excitability and influences sympathetic nervous system | Geraldes et al., 2014 | |
| K2P | Similar to inward rectifier, but pH sensitive | TASK-like | Patch-clamp | Conveys pH sensitivity | Doroshenko and Renaud, 2009 |