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Related Concept Videos

Non-gated Ion Channels01:24

Non-gated Ion Channels

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.
Activation and Inactivation of G Proteins01:22

Activation and Inactivation of G Proteins

Heterotrimeric G proteins are guanine nucleotide-binding proteins. As the name suggests, heterotrimeric G proteins are composed of three subunits: alpha, beta, and gamma. They remain GDP-bound or GTP-bound inside the cells and switch between inactive/active states. The Gα subunit possesses the nucleotide-binding pocket that binds guanine nucleotides and switches between GDP or GTP-bound states. In contrast, the Gꞵ and Gγ subunits are always bound together with high affinity and are together...
G-Protein Gated Ion Channels01:21

G-Protein Gated Ion Channels

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 organs,...
Calmodulin-dependent Signaling01:16

Calmodulin-dependent Signaling

Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium-binding protein in eukaryotes that controls various calcium-regulated cellular processes. It has four calcium-binding sites that bind calcium to form the calcium-calmodulin ( Ca2+-CaM) complex. GPCR stimulation increases the calcium levels in the cells that bind to CaM and induces a conformational change.
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
Non-gated Ion Channels01:24

Non-gated Ion Channels

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.
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism01:30

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that play a vital role in intercellular communication and functions of the nervous system. They allow the influx of ions across the membrane once the neurotransmitter binds, allowing the subsequent transmission of electrical excitation across the neurons. Other ligand-gated ion channels, like the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, permit anions like chloride into the cells on the binding of the GABA molecule. Their entry into the cell...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Study of the Functions and Activities of Neuronal K-Cl Co-Transporter KCC2 Using Western Blotting
10:08

Study of the Functions and Activities of Neuronal K-Cl Co-Transporter KCC2 Using Western Blotting

Published on: December 9, 2022

AKT2/3 subunits render guard cell K+ channels Ca2+ sensitive.

Natalya Ivashikina1, Rosalia Deeken, Susanne Fischer

  • 1Julius-von-Sachs Institute of Biosciences, Biocenter, Department of Molecular Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Germany.

The Journal of General Physiology
|April 13, 2005
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The AKT2/3 subunit is responsible for calcium sensitivity in Arabidopsis guard cell inward-rectifying potassium channels. This finding clarifies the molecular basis of calcium-regulated potassium uptake in plant cells.

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Single-Cell Calcium Imaging for Studying the Activation of Calcium Ion Channels
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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Study of the Functions and Activities of Neuronal K-Cl Co-Transporter KCC2 Using Western Blotting
10:08

Study of the Functions and Activities of Neuronal K-Cl Co-Transporter KCC2 Using Western Blotting

Published on: December 9, 2022

Voltage-Dependent Potassium Current Recording on H9c2 Cardiomyocytes via the Whole-Cell Patch-Clamp Technique
08:11

Voltage-Dependent Potassium Current Recording on H9c2 Cardiomyocytes via the Whole-Cell Patch-Clamp Technique

Published on: November 11, 2022

Single-Cell Calcium Imaging for Studying the Activation of Calcium Ion Channels
07:17

Single-Cell Calcium Imaging for Studying the Activation of Calcium Ion Channels

Published on: December 13, 2024

Area of Science:

  • Plant Physiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Ion Channel Function

Background:

  • Inward-rectifying K+ channels are crucial for Ca2+-sensitive K+ influx into plant guard cells.
  • Arabidopsis thaliana guard cell inward-rectifying K+ channels are composed of multiple subunits.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether the AKT2/3 subunit confers Ca2+ sensitivity to guard cell inward rectifier channels.
  • To elucidate the role of AKT2/3 in the Ca2+-dependent regulation of K+ transport in plant guard cells.

Main Methods:

  • RT-PCR to analyze K+ channel subunit gene expression in wild-type and akt2/3-1 mutant plants.
  • Patch-clamp electrophysiology on guard cell protoplasts to assess K+ channel activity and Ca2+ sensitivity.
  • Heterologous expression of AKT2 and KAT2 channels in HEK293 cells.

Main Results:

  • Guard cells from akt2/3-1 mutants lacked the characteristic voltage-dependent Ca2+ block observed in wild-type channels.
  • Expression of other K+ channel subunits (KAT1, KAT2, AKT1, AtKC1) remained unaffected in the akt2/3-1 mutant.
  • Heterologously expressed AKT2 channels showed high sensitivity to extracellular Ca2+, while KAT2 channels were insensitive.

Conclusions:

  • The AKT2/3 subunit is the primary determinant of Ca2+ sensitivity in Arabidopsis guard cell K+ uptake channels.
  • Loss of AKT2/3 function abolishes the voltage-dependent Ca2+ block of inward rectifier channels in guard cells.
  • This study identifies AKT2/3 as a key component in the calcium-sensing mechanism of plant potassium channels.