Regulation of Renal Potassium Channels by Protein Kinases and Phosphatases

Ion channels are well-known functional proteins, and their activity can be directly estimated by monitoring ion currents through channel proteins using the patch-clamp technique (Hamill et al., 1981), which is a fine tool for the investigation of not only ion channels, but also the membrane current and membrane potential of the whole cell. Many investigators have applied the patch-clamp technique to various cells, and found that many kinds of ion channel are present in the cell membrane.