It is easy to see how BK channels play a central role in
vasodilation and development of vascular disease. However,
little is known about how these channels are regulated. Which
intracellular pathways are responsible for modulating BK
channel activity and expression? Nystoriak et al2 in the current
issue provide new findings that link the calcineurin–nuclear
factor of activated T cells, c3 isoform (NFATc3) pathway to
BK channel expression in an animal model of diabetes mellitus.
The scaffolding protein A-kinase anchoring protein 150
is critical in linking calcineurin with L-type calcium channels14,15
(Figure)