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Inward Rectifier Potassium Channels

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Encyclopedia of Computational Neuroscience

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Synonyms

Anomalous rectifier potassium channels; GIRK channels; K-ATP channels; Kir channels

Definition

Inward rectifier potassium channels, also called Kir channels are potassium channels which, on the contrary of the other potassium channels, let little potassium ions flow outside of the cell and allow a large inflow of potassium ions inside the cells. In other words, inward rectifier currents present a reduced outward current at membrane potential above the potassium reversal potential and large inward current for membrane potential below the potassium reversal potential.

Detailed Description

First described in skeletal muscle, these channels have been identified in several other cell types: cardiac myocytes, blood cells, osteoclasts, endothelial cells, epithelial cells, oocytes, neurons, and glial cells (for review, see Hibino et al. 2010).

The inward rectifier potassium channels are part of a heterogeneous family of potassium channels named Kir m.n or KCNJ.x. This family can be...

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Theoretical Neurobiology and Neuroengineering, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium

    Yann Le Franc

Authors
  1. Yann Le Franc
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Dieter Jaeger

  2. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA

    Ranu Jung

Section Editor information

  1. National Research Council, Institute of Biophysics, Palermo, Italy

    Michele Migliore

  2. Computational Physiology Lab, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA

    Christiane Linster

  3. Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Francesco Cavarretta

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Le Franc, Y. (2022). Inward Rectifier Potassium Channels. In: Jaeger, D., Jung, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Computational Neuroscience. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1006-0_129

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