Entrez 3747 | Ensembl ENSG00000166006 | |
Aliases KCNC2, KV3.2, potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily C member 2 External IDs MGI: 96668 HomoloGene: 71199 GeneCards: KCNC2 | ||
Potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily C member 2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the KCNC2 gene. The protein encoded by this gene is a voltage-gated potassium channel subunit (Kv3.2).
Contents
Expression pattern
Kv3.1 and Kv3.2 channels are prominently expressed in neurons that fire at high frequency. Kv3.2 channels are prominently expressed in brain (fast-spiking GABAergic interneurons of the neocortex, hippocampus, and caudate nucleus; terminal fields of thalamocortical projections), and in retinal ganglion cells.
Physiological role
Kv3.1/Kv3.2 conductance is necessary and kinetically optimized for high-frequency action potential generation. Sometimes in heteromeric complexes with Kv3.1; important for the high-frequency firing of fast spiking GABAergic interneurons and retinal ganglion cells; and GABA release via regulation of action potential duration in presynaptic terminals.
Pharmacological properties
Kv3.2 currents in heterologous systems are highly sensitive to external tetraethylammonium (TEA) or 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) (IC50 values are 0.1 mM for both of the drugs). This can be useful in identifying native channels.
Transcript variants
There are four transcript variants of Kv3.2 gene: Kv3.2a, Kv3.2b, Kv3.2c, Kv3.2d. Kv3.2 isoforms differ only in their C-terminal sequence.