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Related Concept Videos

Screening Ion Channels in Cancer Cells06:19

Screening Ion Channels in Cancer Cells

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The pharmacological targeting of ion channels is a promising approach to treating solid tumors. Detailed protocols are provided for characterizing ion channel function in cancer cells and assaying the effects of ion channel modulators on cancer viability.
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Expression and Purification of Mammalian Bestrophin Ion Channels08:12

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The purification of ion channels is often challenging, but once achieved, it can potentially allow in vitro investigations of the functions and structures of the channels. Here, we describe the stepwise procedures for the expression and purification of mammalian bestrophin proteins, a family of Ca2+-activated Cl-...
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Ion Channels01:19

Ion Channels

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The movement of ions like sodium, potassium, and calcium into and out of the cell is essential to maintain the electrochemical gradient in living cells. The ion channels—a class of membrane transport proteins—help maintain this ionic gradient for the smooth functioning of physiological activities such as maintaining cell size and volume, conducting nerve impulses, and gas and nutrient exchange.
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow...
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Non-gated Ion Channels01:24

Non-gated Ion Channels

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Ion channels are specialized proteins on the plasma membrane that allow charged ions to pass down their electrochemical gradient. Their main function is to maintain the membrane potential which is critical for cell viability. These channels are either gated or non-gated and can transport more than a thousand ions within milliseconds for the cellular event to occur.
Compared to the gated ion channels, the non-gated channels, also known as leakage or passive channels, have no gating mechanism....
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G-Protein Gated Ion Channels01:21

G-Protein Gated Ion Channels

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GPCRs are primarily responsible for our sense of smell, taste, and vision.  The binding of a sensory stimulus activates GPCR to stimulate effector proteins, many of which are ion channels in the sensory organs. GPCRs modulate the opening and closing of the target ion channels either directly by binding them, or by releasing second messengers that activate these channels. As ions move across the membrane, the membrane potential is altered, which induces an appropriate response.
Sensory...
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Ligand-gated Ion Channels01:19

Ligand-gated Ion Channels

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Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins with a channel for ions to pass through and a binding site for a ligand. The channel opens only when a ligand attaches to the binding site.
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 20, 2026

Author Spotlight: Exploring the Role of Ion Channels in Cancer: Characterization and Potential Treatment Approaches
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Author Spotlight: Exploring the Role of Ion Channels in Cancer: Characterization and Potential Treatment Approaches

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Ion channels and diseases.

Shinichi Hatta1, J Sakamoto, Y Horio

  • 1Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, South-1, West-17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan.

Medical Electron Microscopy : Official Journal of the Clinical Electron Microscopy Society of Japan
|September 28, 2002
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Ion channels are crucial for cell signaling and excitability. Discoveries in ion channel genetics are rapidly identifying new hereditary diseases caused by mutations, aiding diagnosis and therapy.

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Last Updated: Jan 20, 2026

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Physiology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Ion channels are integral to cellular signaling in excitable and nonexcitable cells.
  • Over 30 years of research have elucidated ion channel properties, assembly, and modulation.
  • More than ten human hereditary diseases are now linked to specific ion channel genes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of ion channels in cellular processes and disease.
  • To highlight the importance of molecular techniques in identifying disease-related ion channel genes.
  • To discuss the implications of understanding ion channel function in disease pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Cloning of ion channel genes.
  • Positional cloning for identifying disease-associated genes.
  • Biophysical characterization of ion channel function.

Main Results:

  • Ion channels regulate cell excitability and ion transport.
  • Mutations in ion channels cause diseases like long QT syndrome, ataxia, Bartter's syndrome, and Liddle's syndrome.
  • Most ion channel diseases result from loss-of-function mutations, but gain-of-function mutations also occur.

Conclusions:

  • The number of identified ion channel-related diseases is increasing.
  • Understanding the molecular basis of these diseases enables early diagnosis and targeted therapies.
  • Research into ion channel diseases reveals novel functions of ion channels.