KCNMA1 Polyclonal Antibody, Invitrogen™

Description

Product is shipped at room temperature as a lyophilized powder and should be stored at -20 °C upon receipt. Reconstitution: add 50 μL of deionized water.

Potassium channels are a group of ubiquitously expressed proteins that serve numerous functions in excitable and non-excitable cells. One class of integral membrane potassium channels is the large conductance, calcium-activated potassium channel (Maxi K+). Maxi K+ differs from most other potassium channels in that its activation is controlled by both increases in intracellular calcium and by membrane depolarization. Maxi K+ dual activation is possible because of its structure. The core of the channel, which is similar to other potassium channels, is a Maxi K+ alpha homotetramer that contains both a voltage sensor and an intracellular calcium binding domain. In vascular smooth muscle, an auxiliary beta-subunit is found in a 1:1 stoichiometry. The beta-subunit exhibits its effect on the Maxi K+ channel by effectively decreasing by 5- to 10- fold the concentration of calcium required to keep the pore open.