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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.
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.
Voltage-gated Ion Channels01:26

Voltage-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...
Voltage-gated Ion Channels01:26

Voltage-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...
Ion Channels01:19

Ion 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...
Electrochemical Gradient and Channel Proteins: An Overview01:21

Electrochemical Gradient and Channel Proteins: An Overview

An electrochemical gradient is a fundamental concept in biology and chemistry. It regulates the movement of ions across cell membranes. This movement is influenced by two factors:
The electrical gradient: The electrical gradient across cell membranes refers to the difference in electric charge between the inside and outside of a cell.  This difference drives the movement of ions towards or away from the cells. For instance, if the inside of the cell is more negatively charged relative to the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

A Proteoliposome-Based Efflux Assay to Determine Single-molecule Properties of Cl- Channels and Transporters
07:47

A Proteoliposome-Based Efflux Assay to Determine Single-molecule Properties of Cl- Channels and Transporters

Published on: April 20, 2015

Chloride channels: often enigmatic, rarely predictable.

Charity Duran1, Christopher H Thompson, Qinghuan Xiao

  • 1Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.

Annual Review of Physiology
|October 16, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Anion channels, including chloride channels, are gaining attention for their cell-biological roles. Recent discoveries reveal surprising functions within the ClC family and identify new candidates for calcium-activated chloride channels.

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Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recordings for Electrophysiological Determination of Ion Selectivity in Channelrhodopsins

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One-channel Cell-attached Patch-clamp Recording

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 19, 2026

A Proteoliposome-Based Efflux Assay to Determine Single-molecule Properties of Cl- Channels and Transporters
07:47

A Proteoliposome-Based Efflux Assay to Determine Single-molecule Properties of Cl- Channels and Transporters

Published on: April 20, 2015

Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recordings for Electrophysiological Determination of Ion Selectivity in Channelrhodopsins
08:39

Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recordings for Electrophysiological Determination of Ion Selectivity in Channelrhodopsins

Published on: May 22, 2017

One-channel Cell-attached Patch-clamp Recording
13:07

One-channel Cell-attached Patch-clamp Recording

Published on: June 9, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Physiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Anion channels, particularly chloride (Cl(-)) channels, have historically received less research focus compared to cation channels.
  • Their functions in cell volume regulation and fluid secretion were considered less dynamic than the rapid cellular excitability associated with cation channels.

Observation:

  • Recent years have seen a surge in research interest and discoveries concerning Cl(-) channels.
  • This includes unexpected findings about the ClC family and the identification of novel Ca(2+)-activated Cl(-) channel candidates.

Findings:

  • Over half of the ClC family members function as antiporters, challenging the long-held belief that they are exclusively channels.
  • Bestrophins, once considered primary Ca(2+)-activated Cl(-) channels, have been largely replaced by newly identified anoctamins, with bestrophins now holding a less certain role.

Implications:

  • These findings necessitate a re-evaluation of the known roles and classifications of ClC proteins.
  • The discovery of anoctamins as key Ca(2+)-activated Cl(-) channels opens new avenues for understanding cellular signaling and disease mechanisms.
  • Further research is crucial to fully elucidate the diverse functions of anion channels in cellular physiology.