Two-Pore Domain K⁺ Channels

Two pore domain K⁺ channel (K_2P) family consists of 15 members which are further divided to six subfamilies on the basis of structural and functional properties. All family members are tightly controlled by various chemical and physical stimuli such as pH, oxygen tension, lipids, mechanical stretch, G-protein coupled receptors, transmitters and other endogenous modulators, and are targets for clinically important compounds such as volatile anesthetic. These channels are also known as “leak channels”. This name is given since they are open across the physiological voltage range, show little voltage or time dependence and are believed to underlie many of the K⁺ leak currents. This leak is active during the rest period of excitable cells, stabilizes membrane potential below firing threshold and hasten repolarization in many neurons including cerebellar granular neurons.