The M channel is a slowly activating and deactivating potassium channel that plays a critical role in the regulation of neuronal excitability. The M channel is formed by the association of the protein encoded by this gene and one of two related proteins encoded by the KCNQ2 and KCNQ5 genes, both integral membrane proteins. M channel currents are inhibited by M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and activated by retigabine, a novel anti-convulsant drug. Defects in this gene are a cause of benign familial neonatal convulsions type 2 (BFNC2), also known as epilepsy, benign neonatal type 2 (EBN2).[5]
↑Arredondo K, Myers C, Hansen-Kiss E, Mathew MT, Jayaraman V, Siemon A, etal. (May 2022). "Phenotypic Spectrum in a Family Sharing a Heterozygous KCNQ3 Variant". Journal of Child Neurology. 37 (6): 517–523. doi:10.1177/08830738221089741. PMID35384780.
↑Yus-Nájera E, Muñoz A, Salvador N, Jensen BS, Rasmussen HB, Defelipe J, etal. (2003). "Localization of KCNQ5 in the normal and epileptic human temporal neocortex and hippocampal formation". Neuroscience. 120 (2): 353–364. doi:10.1016/S0306-4522(03)00321-X. PMID12890507. S2CID38381189.
Gutman GA, Chandy KG, Grissmer S, Lazdunski M, McKinnon D, Pardo LA, etal. (December 2005). "International Union of Pharmacology. LIII. Nomenclature and molecular relationships of voltage-gated potassium channels". Pharmacological Reviews. 57 (4): 473–508. doi:10.1124/pr.57.4.10. PMID16382104. S2CID219195192.
Ryan SG, Wiznitzer M, Hollman C, Torres MC, Szekeresova M, Schneider S (May 1991). "Benign familial neonatal convulsions: evidence for clinical and genetic heterogeneity". Annals of Neurology. 29 (5): 469–473. doi:10.1002/ana.410290504. PMID1859177. S2CID25424485.
Charlier C, Singh NA, Ryan SG, Lewis TB, Reus BE, Leach RJ, etal. (January 1998). "A pore mutation in a novel KQT-like potassium channel gene in an idiopathic epilepsy family". Nature Genetics. 18 (1): 53–55. doi:10.1038/ng0198-53. PMID9425900. S2CID10437379.
Rundfeldt C, Netzer R (March 2000). "The novel anticonvulsant retigabine activates M-currents in Chinese hamster ovary-cells tranfected with human KCNQ2/3 subunits". Neuroscience Letters. 282 (1–2): 73–76. doi:10.1016/S0304-3940(00)00866-1. PMID10713399. S2CID28431577.