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Related Concept Videos

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...
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...
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.
Ligand-gated Ion Channels01:19

Ligand-gated Ion Channels

Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins with a channel for ions to pass through and a binding site for a ligand. The channel opens only when a ligand attaches to the binding site.
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 include the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Lipid Bilayer Experiments with Contact Bubble Bilayers for Patch-Clampers
07:18

Lipid Bilayer Experiments with Contact Bubble Bilayers for Patch-Clampers

Published on: January 16, 2019

Bright ion channels and lipid bilayers.

Wiktor Szymański1, Duygu Yilmaz, Armağan Koçer

  • 1Center for Systems Chemistry, Stratingh Institute for Chemistry and ‡Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute University of Groningen , Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.

Accounts of Chemical Research
|April 20, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Researchers are using light to dynamically control ion channels and lipid bilayers. This enables precise manipulation of cellular transport and organism behavior with potential applications in neuroscience and beyond.

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Single-Molecule Imaging of Lateral Mobility and Ion Channel Activity in Lipid Bilayers using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) Microscopy
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Single-Molecule Imaging of Lateral Mobility and Ion Channel Activity in Lipid Bilayers using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) Microscopy

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Capturing the Interaction Kinetics of an Ion Channel Protein with Small Molecules by the Bio-layer Interferometry Assay
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Capturing the Interaction Kinetics of an Ion Channel Protein with Small Molecules by the Bio-layer Interferometry Assay

Published on: March 7, 2018

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Last Updated: May 12, 2026

Lipid Bilayer Experiments with Contact Bubble Bilayers for Patch-Clampers
07:18

Lipid Bilayer Experiments with Contact Bubble Bilayers for Patch-Clampers

Published on: January 16, 2019

Single-Molecule Imaging of Lateral Mobility and Ion Channel Activity in Lipid Bilayers using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) Microscopy
08:55

Single-Molecule Imaging of Lateral Mobility and Ion Channel Activity in Lipid Bilayers using Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) Microscopy

Published on: February 17, 2023

Capturing the Interaction Kinetics of an Ion Channel Protein with Small Molecules by the Bio-layer Interferometry Assay
10:41

Capturing the Interaction Kinetics of an Ion Channel Protein with Small Molecules by the Bio-layer Interferometry Assay

Published on: March 7, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Cell Biology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Cells communicate via ion channels embedded in lipid bilayers, controlling ion passage and electrical signaling.
  • Ion channel malfunction has serious health consequences, driving research into their function and applications.
  • Light offers precise, noninvasive external control over biological systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review research on the dynamic control of lipid bilayer assembly and ion channel function using light.
  • To explore light-induced modulation of ion channel activity and neural signaling.
  • To discuss light-driven transport across lipid bilayers via various photoswitchable approaches.

Main Methods:

  • Summarizing light-based manipulation of ion channel activity for novel functionalities.
  • Incorporating photoswitchable copolymers into lipid bilayers.
  • Doping lipid bilayers with photosensitive amphiphiles.
  • Preparing lipid bilayers solely from photoswitchable lipids.

Main Results:

  • Light can precisely modulate ion channel activity and control neural activity.
  • Novel functionalities are achievable by employing specific photoswitches.
  • Light-induced transport across lipid bilayers can be triggered through various methods.

Conclusions:

  • Light provides versatile control over biological systems, from cellular permeability to organism behavior.
  • Photoswitchable lipid bilayers offer new avenues for manipulating cellular transport.
  • External light control represents a powerful tool for biological research and potential therapeutic applications.