Previous animal studies have demonstrated that the loss of the β1 subunit of the large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channel leads to hypertension. A new study demonstrates that a gain in β1 subunit function is associated with protection against diastolic hypertension in humans, underscoring the importance of the β1 subunit and the BK channel in the regulation of vascular resistance.
Mark T. Nelson, Adrian D. Bonev