Potassium intermediate/small conductance calcium-activated channel, subfamily N, member 1 , also known as KCNN1 is a human
gene
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...
encoding the K
Ca2.1
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...
.
Action potentials in vertebrate neurons are followed by an afterhyperpolarization (AHP) that may persist for several seconds and may have profound consequences for the firing pattern of the neuron. Each component of the AHP is kinetically distinct and is mediated by different calcium-activated potassium channels. The protein encoded by this gene is activated before membrane hyperpolarization and is thought to regulate neuronal excitability by contributing to the slow component of synaptic AHP. The K
Ca2.1 protein is an integral membrane protein that forms a voltage-independent calcium-activated channel with three other calmodulin-binding subunits. The KCNN1 gene is a member of the KCNN family of potassium channel genes.
See also
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SK channel
SK channels (small conductance calcium-activated potassium channels) are a subfamily of calcium-activated potassium channels. They are so called because of their small single channel conductance in the order of 10 pS. SK channels are a type of io ...
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Voltage-gated potassium channel
Voltage-gated potassium channels (VGKCs) are transmembrane channels specific for potassium and sensitive to voltage changes in the cell's membrane potential. During action potentials, they play a crucial role in returning the depolarized ce ...
References
Further reading
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Ion channels
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