THE INTRACELLULAR POTASSIUM AND CHLORIDE CHANNELS - PROPERTIES, PHARMACOLOGY AND FUNCTION (REVIEW)

Channels selective for potassium or chloride ions are present in membr anes of intracellular organelles such as sarcoplasmic (endoplasmic) re ticulum, mitochondria, nucleus, synaptic vesicles, and chromaffin, and zymogen granules. They probably play an important role in cellular ev ents such as compensation of electrical charges during transport of Ca 2+, Delta pH formation in mitochondria or V-ATPase containing membrane granules, and regulation of volume changes, due to potassium and chlo ride transport into intracellular organelles. Intracellular potassium and chloride channels could also be the target for pharmacologically a ctive compounds. This mini-review describes the basic properties, phar macology, and current hypotheses concerning the functional role of int racellular potassium and chloride channels.