Voltage-gated K+ channels in the plasma membrane control the repolarization and the frequency of action potentials in neurons, muscles, and other excitable cells. The KV gene family encodes more than 30 genes that comprise the subunits of the K+ channels, and they vary in their gating and permeation properties, subcellular distribution, and expression patterns. Functional KV channels assemble as tetramers consisting of pore-forming -subunits (KVα), which include the KV1, KV2, KV3, and KV4 proteins, and accessory or KVβ subunits that modify the gating properties of the coexpressed KVα subunits. Differences exist in the patterns of trafficking, biosynthetic processing and surface expression of the major KV1 subunits (KV1.1, KV1.2, KV1.4, KV1.5 and KV1.6) expressed in rat and human brain, suggesting that the individual protein subunits are highly regulated to control for the assembly and formation of functional neuronal channels.
