May be responsible for potassium buffering action of glial cells in the brain (By similarity). Inward rectifier potassium channels are characterized by a greater tendency to allow potassium to flow into the cell rather than out of it (PubMed:8995301). Their voltage dependence is regulated by the concentration of extracellular potassium; as external potassium is raised, the voltage range of the channel opening shifts to more positive voltages (PubMed:8995301). The inward rectification is mainly due to the blockage of outward current by internal magnesium. Can be blocked by extracellular barium and cesium (PubMed:8995301). In the kidney, together with KCNJ16, mediates basolateral K(+) recycling in distal tubules; this process is critical for Na(+) reabsorption at the tubules (PubMed:24561201). {ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:P49655, ECO:0000269|PubMed:8995301, ECO:0000305|PubMed:24561201}. This is the function of Ensembl gene identifier ENSG00000177807 (KCNJ10, potassium inwardly rectifying channel subfamily J member 10).