Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Kir6.2

Title: Developmental regulation of oxygen sensing and ion channels in the pulmonary vasculature.

Authors: David N Cornfield

Journal, date & volume: Adv. Exp. Med. Biol., 2010 , 661, 201-20

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20204732

Abstract
The increase in oxygen tension occurring at birth causes sustained and progressive pulmonary vasodilation. The oxygen-induced perinatal pulmonary vasodilation depends on the production of nitric oxide (NO) from the pulmonary endothelium and activation of various K(+) channels in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. This chapter reviews a) the oxygen-sensing mechanism that stimulates endothelial NO production; b) how K(+) channels sense changes in oxygen tension; c) whether hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha), a well defined hypoxia-sensitive transcription factor in adult, contributes to the regulation of NO production and K(+) channel activation; and d) whether and how dysfunctional K(+) channels contribute to the development of pulmonary hypertension in the newborns.