Research progress on calcium-activated potassium ion channels

Abstract. Potassium ion channels are diverse and widely distributed, playing a key role in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. According to the size of the conductance, they can be divided into large conductive calcium activated potassium channel (BK channel), medium conductive calcium activated potassium channel (IK channel) and small conductive calcium activated potassium channel (SK channel). In recent years, remarkable progress has been made in studying these three ion channels, and a series of therapeutic drugs have emerged. According to the single channel conductance, the BK channel, IK channel and SK channel, and the structure and functions of the three types of channels are introduced respectively. The main structure is composed of a tetrameric protein and a cavity in the center. These three types of potassium channels play a role in various clinical diseases, such as hypertension, Parkinson's, epilepsy and atrial fibrillation. Then in this paper for the existing three channels of therapeutic drugs and their mechanism is introduced and elaborated, more for some small molecule agonists, inhibitors and some toxin compounds, and also for the future research outlook-through the development of corresponding target regulator, reduce the side effects of drugs and adverse reactions, improve the bioavailability of new drugs. It is hoped that through the deeper study of such channels, clinically related diseases can be effectively solved and new breakthroughs can be achieved.