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  2. Potassium in biology - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_in_biology

    The sodium–potassium pump a critical enzyme for regulating sodium and potassium levels in cells. Potassium is the main intracellular ion for all types of cells, while having a major role in maintenance of fluid and electrolyte balance. [1] [2] Potassium is necessary for the function of all living cells and is thus present in all plant and ...

  3. Inorganic ions - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inorganic_ions

    Potassium ion channels play a key role in maintaining the membrane's electric potential. These ion channels are present in many various biological systems. They frequently play a role in regulation of cellular level processes, many of these processes including muscle relaxation, hypertension, insulin secretion etc. [7] Some examples of potassium ion channels within biological systems include K ...

  4. Calcium-activated potassium channel - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium-activated...

    These findings indicate that BK channels are involved in the relaxation of smooth muscle cells. In any muscle cell, increased intracellular calcium causes contraction. In smooth muscle cells the elevated levels of intracellular calcium cause the opening of BK channels which in turn allow potassium ions to flow out of the cell.

  5. Transcellular transport - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcellular_transport

    Examples of molecules that follow this process are potassium K +, sodium Na +, and calcium Ca 2+. A place in the human body where this occurs is in the intestines with the uptake of glucose . Secondary active transport is when one solute moves down the electrochemical gradient to produce enough energy to force the transport of another solute ...

  6. Potassium channel - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_channel

    Potassium channel Kv1.2, structure in a membrane-like environment. Calculated hydrocarbon boundaries of the lipid bilayer are indicated by red and blue lines. Potassium channels are the most widely distributed type of ion channel found in virtually all organisms. [1] They form potassium-selective pores that span cell membranes.

  7. Gating (electrophysiology) - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gating_(electrophysiology)

    Potassium (K +) channels play a large role in setting the resting membrane potential. [9] When the cell membrane depolarizes, the intracellular part of the channel becomes positively charged, which causes the channel's open configuration to become a more stable state than the closed configuration.

  8. Electrolyte imbalance - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolyte_imbalance

    Low potassium is caused by increased excretion of potassium, decreased consumption of potassium rich foods, movement of potassium into the cells, or certain endocrine diseases. [3] Excretion is the most common cause of hypokalemia and can be caused by diuretic use, metabolic acidosis , diabetic ketoacidosis , hyperaldosteronism , and renal ...

  9. Active transport - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_transport

    Active transport is essential for various physiological processes, such as nutrient uptake, hormone secretion, and nerve impulse transmission. For example, the sodium-potassium pump uses ATP to pump sodium ions out of the cell and potassium ions into the cell, maintaining a concentration gradient essential for cellular function. Active ...