CORRELATING STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION IN ATP-SENSITIVE K+ CHANNELS

ATP-sensitive K+ channels couple cell metabolism to electrical activit y in nerve, muscle and endocrine cells, and play important roles in th ese tissues under both physiological and pathological conditions. The K-ATP channel is an octameric complex of two unrelated types of subuni t: a pore-forming subunit (Kir6.2) and a regulatory subunit, the sulph onylurea receptor (SUR). This review focuses on the regulation of K-AT P channel activity by nucleotides and cell metabolism and considers wh ich regulatory mechanisms are intrinsic to Kir6.2 and which are confer red by association with SUR.