AUTHOR=Weisbrod David 

TITLE=Small and Intermediate Calcium Activated Potassium Channels in the Heart: Role and Strategies in the Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2020

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2020.590534

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2020.590534

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=Calcium-activated potassium channels are a heterogeneous family of channels, which, despite their different biophysical characteristics, structures and pharmacological signatures, play a role of transducer between the ubiquitous intracellular calcium signaling and the electric variations of the membrane. Although this family of channels was extensively described in various excitable and non-excitable tissues, an increase amount of evidences shows their functional role in the heart. This review aims to focus on the physiological role of the Small and Intermediate Calcium-activated Potassium channels, their contribution to cardiac pathologies and discuss further potential therapeutic strategies.