Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026

Author Spotlight: Exploring the Role of Ion Channels in Cancer: Characterization and Potential Treatment Approaches
Published on: June 16, 2023
Ion channels as antivirus targets
1State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510530, China.
Abstract:
Ion channels are membrane proteins that are found in a number of viruses and which are of crucial physiological importance in the viral life cycle. They have one common feature in that their action mode involves a change of electrochemical or proton gradient across the bilayer lipid membrane which modulates viral or cellular activity. We will discuss a group of viral channel proteins that belong to the viroproin family, and which participate in a number of viral functions including promoting the release of viral particles from cells. Blocking these channel-forming proteins may be "lethal", which can be a suitable and potential therapeutic strategy. In this review we discuss seven ion channels of viruses which can lead serious infections in human beings: M2 of influenza A, NB and BM2 of influenza B, CM2 of influenza C, Vpu of HIV-1, p7 of HCV and 2B of picornaviruses.
Related Concept Videos
Voltage-gated Ion Channels
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 Channels
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow...
Non-gated Ion Channels
Compared to the gated ion channels, the non-gated channels, also known as leakage or passive channels, have no gating mechanism....
Mechanically-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated Ion Channels
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...
G-Protein Gated Ion Channels
Sensory...

