Mechanism of Inward Rectification
The phenomenon of inward rectification of Kir channels is the result of high-affinity block by endogenous polyamines, namely spermine, as well as magnesium ions, that plug the channel pore at positive potentials, resulting in a decrease in outward currents. This voltage-dependent block by polyamines causes currents to be conducted well only in the inward direction. While the principal idea of polyamine block is understood, the specific mechanisms are still controversial.
Read more about this topic: Inward-rectifier Potassium Ion Channel
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“A mechanism of some kind stands between us and almost every act of our lives.”
—Sarah Patton Boyle, U.S. civil rights activist and author. The Desegregated Heart, part 3, ch. 2 (1962)