Location, location, location: For potassium channels, it depends on functionality
Medical Xpress
March 4, 2026
Potassium KCNQ2/3 channels are crucial for suppressing the excitability of brain cells, or neurons. When these channels don't work properly, they can cause specific types of epilepsy like benign familial neonatal convulsions and early infantile epileptic encephalopathy. In "Coupling of Functionality to Trafficking of KCNQ2/3 Potassium Channels at the Axon Initial Segment," published in PNAS, Japanese researchers reveal the relationship between KCNQ2/3 channel functionality (i.e., how well they work to control electrical signals in neurons) and localization (i.e., where they are found inside a cell), with important implications for the treatment of these epileptic disorders.
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Originally published on Medical Xpress on 3/4/2026