Regulation of cardiac ks channels

The electrical activity of the heart regulates the primary function of the heart ¿ to pump blood to the tissues of the body. Abnormal electrical activity caused by medicaments, heart disease, and/or inherited genetic traits can compromise pumping, induce serious rhythm disturbances, and cause sudden death. Potassium Ks channels in heart cell membranes are critical for normal electrical activity, and altered Ks channel activity causes abnormal electrical activity. It is therefore important to acquire fundamental information on the factors that determine Ks channel activity. Studies on channels in heart cells and channels expressed in host cells are almost always conducted in isolation of one another. We believe that our implementation of interlacing studies on channels in their complex native environment (heart cells), channels in a less complex environment (host cells), and channels in an easily-controlled simple environment (excised patches) will prove to be a synergistic approach to achieving the goal of understanding how Ks channels are regulated. The activity of channels is controlled by the activity of intracellular enzymes and other moieties (e.g., cations, phospholipids); however, the molecular mechanisms involved in this regulation have not yet been resolved. The objective of this research program is to advance understanding of Ks channel regulation.