The "TASK" of Breathing: Anesthetic Relevance of Background Two-Pore Domain Potassium Channels as Therapeutic Targets for Respiratory Control.

Background (leak) potassium (K+) currents, the main contributors to resting membrane potential in excitable cells, are mediated by channels of the 2-pore domain (K2P) family. In the respiratory system, the TWIK-related acid-sensitive K+ channel (TASK) subfamily is proposed to mediate key functions in the carotid body type I glomus cells, central chemoreceptors and respiratory center, pulmonary arteries, and upper airway musculature. K2P channels are also located throughout the central nervous system, notably in the hypoglossal motor neurone pool, regions involved in sleep-wake regulation and pain perception.