Title: Inwardly rectifying potassium channels.

Authors: F Reimann, F M Ashcroft

Journal, date & volume: Curr. Opin. Cell Biol., 1999 Aug , 11, 503-8

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10449331

Abstract
Inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels regulate the resting membrane potential of the cell and thereby modulate the electrical activity of cardiac and neuronal cells, insulin secretion and epithelial K(+) transport. Considerable progress in understanding the molecular structure of Kir channels and the way in which they are regulated by extracellular and intracellular modulators has been made during the past year.