KV1.4 Activators

KV1.4 Activators are a collection of chemical compounds that, through various actions, indirectly increase the functional activity of KV1.4 by prolonging action potentials and enhancing neuronal excitability. 4-Aminopyridine and Tetraethylammonium, both potassium channel blockers, lead to increased neuronal excitability by inhibiting KV1.4, which is crucial for repolarization during an action potential. Compounds like Dendrotoxin, Phrixotoxin, and Heteropodatoxins, which selectively target potassium channels, including KV1.4, block the ion flow, thereby extending the duration of action potentials in neurons. This blockage is also achieved by Margatoxin and Anuroctoxin, which have a high specificity for KV1.4, leading to enhanced depolarization and increased neuronal firing rates.

Further, Scyllatoxin and Hanatoxin add to this list by specifically inhibiting KV1.4, allowing for a sustained neuronal excitation. Visnadine, while being a vasodilator, also blocks KV1.4 among other potassium channels, contributing to its vasodilatory effect where KV1.4 channels are present. Correolide's selective inhibition of KV1.4 also results in prolonged depolarization phases of action potentials. Lastly, Tityustoxin, by inhibiting KV1.4 channels, ensures a longer excitation period of neurons, reinforcing the overall theme of these chemical compounds in enhancing the action potential duration and neuronal excitability where KV1.4 plays a pivotal role. These compounds collectively serve to enhance the functional activity of KV1.4 by modulating the ion conductance through these channels, which is a critical determinant of action potential characteristics in excitable cells.