Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026
07:47
A Proteoliposome-Based Efflux Assay to Determine Single-molecule Properties of Cl- Channels and Transporters
Published on: April 20, 2015
Cell volume-sensitive chloride channels: phenotypic properties and molecular identity
1Department of Cell Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan.
Contributions to Nephrology
|October 27, 2006
Summary
Cell volume regulation is crucial for cell survival. The volume-sensitive outwardly rectifying (VSOR) chloride channel facilitates this process, but its molecular identity remains largely unknown.
Area of Science:
- Cell biology
- Physiology
- Ion channel research
Background:
- Cell volume regulation is vital for cellular survival.
- Regulatory volume decrease involves ion and water efflux.
- Volume-sensitive outwardly rectifying (VSOR) chloride channels are key mediators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the biophysical properties of VSOR channels.
- To understand the structural basis of VSOR channel function.
- To highlight the significance of VSOR channels in cell physiology.
Main Methods:
- Utilized electrophysiological techniques to study channel activity.
- Employed molecular modeling to predict channel pore size.
- Analyzed the effects of channel blockers like ATP and glibenclamide.
Main Results:
- VSOR channels exhibit outwardly rectifying current.
- Channel pore radius was determined to be 0.63 nm.
- Blocker sizes (ATP, glibenclamide) are consistent with pore dimensions.
Conclusions:
- VSOR channels are critical for regulatory volume decrease.
- Structural insights suggest specific pore and vestibule characteristics.
- Further molecular investigation of VSOR channels is warranted due to their broad physiological roles.
More Related Videos
11:32Determination of the Relative Cell Surface and Total Expression of Recombinant Ion Channels Using Flow Cytometry
Published on: September 28, 2016
07:38Functional Characterization of Na+/H+ Exchangers of Intracellular Compartments Using Proton-killing Selection to Express Them at the Plasma Membrane
Published on: March 30, 2015
Related Concept Videos
01:26Voltage-gated Ion Channels
Voltage-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that open and close in response to changes in the membrane potential. They are present on the membranes of all electrically excitable cells such as neurons, heart, and muscle cells.
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several types of...
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several types of...
01:26Voltage-gated Ion Channels
Voltage-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that open and close in response to changes in the membrane potential. They are present on the membranes of all electrically excitable cells such as neurons, heart, and muscle cells.
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several types of...
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several types of...
01:19Ion Channels
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 specific...
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow specific...
01:18Patch Clamp
Many fundamental cell functions such as muscle contraction and nerve transmission rely on the electrical signals produced by the movement of positively and negatively charged ions across the cell membrane. One competent method to record current flowing across the whole cell or single ion channel is the patch-clamp technique.
In this method, a glass micropipette containing electrolyte solution is tightly sealed against a small portion of the cell membrane. As a result, a patch of the cell...
In this method, a glass micropipette containing electrolyte solution is tightly sealed against a small portion of the cell membrane. As a result, a patch of the cell...
01:24Non-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.
Compared to the gated ion channels, the non-gated channels, also known as leakage or passive channels, have no gating mechanism.
01:24Non-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.
Compared to the gated ion channels, the non-gated channels, also known as leakage or passive channels, have no gating mechanism.