K(ATP) channels and fat cell multiplication

Involvement of ATP-sensitive potassium channels in proliferation and differentiation of rat preadipocytes.

These results suggest that when ATP-sensitive potassium channel expression decreases, preadipocyte proliferation is promoted, but when the expression of the channels increases, preadipocyte proliferation is inhibited.

It is to be confirmed whether the development of obesity has relation to excessive inhibition of ATP-sensitive potassium channels in preadipocytes or not.

hhhmmmm, inhibition of K_ATP channels, where have we seen that before? Oh yeh, here, this is what they say.....

"increased intracellular glucose, resulted from hyperglycemia, increases cytosolic ATP through glucose metabolism. This leads to closure of ATP-sensitive potassium ion channels (K_ATP channels) "

So how do we get increased intracellular glucose?, Yup, INSULIN.

No wonder the K_ATP knockout mice cannot get fat, they have no K_ATP channels to close in the first place! And so the downstream signalling cascade from the closure of the K_ATP never happens!