TWIK-related acid-sensitive potassium channel 3 (TASK-3)

TWIK-related acid-sensitive potassium channel 3 (TASK-3) is a member of the two-pore domain potassium channel (K2P) family, encoded by the KCNK9 gene. This ion channel is responsible for “leak” potassium currents that stabilize the resting membrane potential in neuronal and other excitable cells. TASK-3 is sensitive to changes in extracellular pH and can be inhibited by acidification, which induces a unique form of C-type inactivation involving structural rearrangement of the selectivity filter. It is expressed broadly in the central and peripheral nervous systems and also found in some peripheral tissues and the inner mitochondrial membrane. TASK-3 is involved in regulating cell excitability, neurotransmission, and has roles in apoptosis, tumor progression, and neurological disorders. Dysregulation or mutation of TASK-3 is associated with several disease states, including certain cancers, depression, sleep disorders, pain syndromes, and Birk–Barel syndrome. Its pharmacological profile and disease associations make it a promising and increasingly recognized therapeutic target[1][2][4][6][8].

Other names

K2P9.1KCNK9TASK3Potassium channel subfamily K member 9

Channel inhibition (block of potassium efflux), Channel activation (enhancing leak currents), Allosteric blockade, Inhibition by extracellular acidification, Antibody-mediated inhibition