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Related Concept Videos

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...
Mechanically-gated Ion Channels01:12

Mechanically-gated Ion Channels

Mechanically-gated ion channels are proteins found in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell membranes that open in response to mechanical stress. Tension, compression, swelling, and shear stress can alter the conformation of the protein, opening a transmembrane channel that allows the passage of ions for signal transmission. In eukaryotes, mechanically-gated channels are distributed in several regions like the neurons, lungs, skin, bladder, and heart, where they play critical roles in numerous...
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.
Pain01:20

Pain

Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Patch Clamp Recordings on Intact Dorsal Root Ganglia from Adult Rats
12:00

Patch Clamp Recordings on Intact Dorsal Root Ganglia from Adult Rats

Published on: September 29, 2016

Sodium channels in normal and pathological pain.

Sulayman D Dib-Hajj1, Theodore R Cummins, Joel A Black

  • 1Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA.

Annual Review of Neuroscience
|April 7, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Voltage-gated sodium channels are crucial for pain signaling. Specific channels like Na(v)1.7 are key targets for understanding and treating pathological pain conditions.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Patch Clamp Recordings on Intact Dorsal Root Ganglia from Adult Rats
12:00

Patch Clamp Recordings on Intact Dorsal Root Ganglia from Adult Rats

Published on: September 29, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Nociception is vital for survival, but pathological pain is detrimental and treatment-resistant.
  • Voltage-gated sodium channels (Na(v)1.1-Na(v)1.9) are fundamental for electrical impulse generation and conduction.
  • Several sodium channel isoforms, including Na(v)1.3, Na(v)1.7, Na(v)1.8, and Na(v)1.9, are implicated in pain signal transmission.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the specific roles of key sodium channel isoforms in the pain pathway.
  • To highlight the significance of Na(v)1.7 in inherited pain disorders.

Main Methods:

  • Review of human and animal studies.
  • Analysis of the expression and function of sodium channel isoforms in pain signaling.

Main Results:

  • Na(v)1.7, Na(v)1.8, and Na(v)1.9 are primarily expressed in peripheral sensory neurons.
  • Na(v)1.3 is upregulated in pain pathways following nervous system injuries.
  • Na(v)1.7 is critically involved in a range of inherited human pain conditions.

Conclusions:

  • Specific voltage-gated sodium channels are essential mediators of pain.
  • Targeting these channels, particularly Na(v)1.7, holds therapeutic potential for pain management.