Bay K8644 is a

chemical compound A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one element ...

that functions as an L-type

calcium channel A calcium channel is an ion channel which shows selective permeability to calcium ions. It is sometimes synonymous with voltage-gated calcium channel, although there are also ligand-gated calcium channels. Comparison tables The following tables e ...

agonist An agonist is a chemical that activates a receptor to produce a biological response. Receptors are cellular proteins whose activation causes the cell to modify what it is currently doing. In contrast, an antagonist blocks the action of the ago ...

. Bay K8644 is used primarily as a biochemical research tool for this effect. It is a structural analog of

nifedipine Nifedipine (3,5-dimethyl 2,6-dimethyl-4-(2-nitrophenyl)-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate), sold under the brand name Adalat and Procardia, among others, is a calcium channel blocker medication used to manage angina, high blood pressure, Ra ...

with positive inotropic activity, and as an aromatic it is highly lipid soluble.

Mechanism of action

Bay K8644 targets L-type

voltage-gated Voltage-gated ion channels are a class of transmembrane proteins that form ion channels that are activated by changes in the electrical membrane potential near the channel. The membrane potential alters the conformation of the channel proteins ...

calcium channels A calcium channel is an ion channel which shows selective permeability to calcium ions. It is sometimes synonymous with voltage-gated calcium channel, although there are also ligand-gated calcium channels. Comparison tables The following tables ex ...

. It is the first positive inotropic agent shown to act specifically and directly on calcium channels.

References

Dihydropyridines Trifluoromethyl compounds Methyl esters Calcium channel openers Nitro compounds {{cardiovascular-drug-stub