Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark (FBL) is published by IMR Press from Volume 26 Issue 5 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Frontiers in Bioscience.
Potassium channels in the basal ganglia: Promising new targets for the treatment of Parkinson's disease
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A large number studies indicate that potassium (K+) channels play important roles in cellular signaling in both excitable and nonexcitable cells. Moreover, a considerable number of K+ channels within the nervous system appear to mediate diverse cellular signaling, including regulation of neurotransmitter release, neuronal excitability, and cell volume. Recent studies on the K+ channel gene expression in the basal ganglia reveal dysfunctions of various K+ channels (e.g., Kv, KATP, Kir2 and SKCa), which may be involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). This review aims to provide an overview of our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in K+ channel functions in the basal ganglia, and an insight on how to exploit K+ channels as therapeutic targets in the treatment of PD.