ATP-sensitive potassium channels in health and disease

Since their discovery over 20 years ago, it has been recognized that adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium (K ) channels play a critical role in insulin secretion. When these channels are open, insulin secretion is inhibited, and when they are shut, secretion is initiated. Consequently drugs, mutations, or changes in beta-cell metabolism that open K channels decrease insulin secretion and may cause diabetes, whereas those manipulations that close K channels have the opposite effect, increasing insulin secretion and hypoglycemia. This chapter reviews our current knowledge of the pancreatic beta-cell K channel, and discusses new data on its structure, structure-function relationships, and role in disease. © 2008 Springer. ATP ATP ATP ATP