Molecular function

Kir channel activity

Enables the transmembrane transfer of a potassium ion by an inwardly-rectifying voltage-gated channel. An inwardly rectifying current-voltage relation is one where at any given driving force the inward flow of K+ ions exceeds the outward flow for the opposite driving force. The inward-rectification is due to a voltage-dependent block of the channel pore by a specific ligand or ligands, and as a result the macroscopic conductance depends on the difference between membrane voltage and the K+ equilibrium potential rather than on membrane voltage itself.