Assignment of the human hippocampal inward rectifier potassium channel (HIR) gene to 22q13.1

Journal Article · Mon Apr 10 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · Genomics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0888-7543(95)80189-S· OSTI ID:209952

Budarf, M L; Barnoski, B L; Bell, C J ^[1]

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1. Children`s Hospital of Philadelphia, PA (United States); and others

The HIR gene encodes a small-conductance inward rectifier potassium channel (HIR or K{sub IR}2.3) that is found in heart and brain. Inward rectifiers are a specialized class of potassium channels that produce large inward currents at potentials negative to the potassium equilibrium potential and only small outward currents at more positive potentials. This asymmetry in K{sup +} conductance plays a key role in the excitability of muscle cells and neurons. Inward rectifier potassium channels are the major contributors to the basal potassium conductance in cardiac muscle, where their role is to modulate cell excitability and heart beat frequency, maintain the resting potential, and terminate the long-duration cardiac action potentials. In the central nervous system, inward rectifiers are involved in similar aspects of the modulation of cell excitability. The central role of inward rectifiers in cardiac and neuronal function suggest that they might be involved in the etiology of human cardiovascular and neurological diseases. 11 refs., 2 figs.

• OSTI ID: 209952
• Journal Information: Genomics, Journal Name: Genomics Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 26; ISSN 0888-7543; ISSN GNMCEP
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BASIC STUDIES
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
GENES
GENETIC MAPPING
HUMAN CHROMOSOME 22
HYBRIDIZATION
NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES
POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION
POTASSIUM
SOMATIC CELLS