Ion channels and the control of blood pressure

Ion channels exist in all cells and are enormously varied in structure, fun ction and regulation. Some progress has been made in understanding the role that ion channels play in the control of blood pressure, but the disciplin e is still in its infancy. Ion channels provide many different targets for intervention in disorders of blood pressure and exciting advances have been made in this field. It is possible that new drugs, as well as antisense nu cleotide technology or gene therapy directed towards ion channels, may form a new class of treatments for high and low blood pressure in the future.