The pathobiology of pulmonary hypertension - Smooth muscle cells and ion channels

Potassium channels regulate both vascular tone and the proliferation status of vascular smooth muscle cells. In this paper we review the role of vascu lar potassium channels in the pulmonary circulation; we provide evidence fr om several animal and human models of pulmonary hypertension, supporting th e hypothesis that pulmonary arterial smooth muscle potassium channel abnorm alities are etiologically related to the pathogenesis of pulmonary hyperten sion.