Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels in Adrenal Chromaffin Cells

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Abstract
The rich diversity of voltage-dependent K+-selective ion channels emphasizes the central role that the K+ channel superfamily plays in defining and modifying the electrical behavior of virtually all cells that express such channels (Rudy, 1988; Covar-rubias et al., 1991). As a consequence of differences in the rates and voltage dependence of activation, deactivation, and inactivation, various K+-selective channels determine a variety of cellular electrical properties, including the rates of action potential repolarization, the duration of afterhyperpolarizations, the frequency of repetitive firing, and aspects of the resting potential. Furthermore, K+ channels appear to be important targets of biochemical cascades that modulate ion channel function, since subtle alterations in K+ channel function can markedly change the underlying electrical behavior of a cell.