Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

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.
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...
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism01:30

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that play a vital role in intercellular communication and functions of the nervous system. They allow the influx of ions across the membrane once the neurotransmitter binds, allowing the subsequent transmission of electrical excitation across the neurons. Other ligand-gated ion channels, like the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, permit anions like chloride into the cells on the binding of the GABA molecule. Their entry into the cell...
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...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

AbTune: layer-wise selective fine-tuning of protein language models for antibodies.

Briefings in bioinformatics·2026
Same author

Molecular insights into the dual-glycoprotein surface layer of the oral bacterium Tannerella serpentiformis.

Journal of molecular graphics & modelling·2026
Same author

Conformational ensembles of the magnesium channel CorA reveal structural basis for channel gating.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

The BK channel-NS1619 agonist complex reveals molecular insights into allosteric activation gating.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Structural Mechanism of Prestin-Membrane Mechanotransduction.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Navigating the Pre- and Post-AlphaFold Divide: CAPRI 8th Evaluation Meeting, February 12-14, Grenoble, FR.

Proteins·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

Reconstitution of a Kv Channel into Lipid Membranes for Structural and Functional Studies
10:22

Reconstitution of a Kv Channel into Lipid Membranes for Structural and Functional Studies

Published on: July 13, 2013

Importance of lipid-pore loop interface for potassium channel structure and function.

Elwin A W van der Cruijsen1, Deepak Nand, Markus Weingarth

  • 1NMR Spectroscopy, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|July 25, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Potassium channels control ion flow using two gates. Structural studies reveal the turret region

Keywords:
ion channelmembrane proteinsolid-state NMR spectroscopy

More Related Videos

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

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

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 9, 2026

Reconstitution of a Kv Channel into Lipid Membranes for Structural and Functional Studies
10:22

Reconstitution of a Kv Channel into Lipid Membranes for Structural and Functional Studies

Published on: July 13, 2013

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

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

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Structural Biology

Background:

  • Potassium channels are crucial for cellular function.
  • Voltage-gated potassium channels regulate ion flux via activation and inactivation gates.
  • Understanding channel gating mechanisms is vital for cellular physiology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of the turret region in potassium channel inactivation.
  • To elucidate the structural dynamics of potassium channels during gating.
  • To explore the interaction between potassium channels and the lipid bilayer.

Main Methods:

  • Solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy
  • Electrophysiological recordings
  • Molecular dynamics simulations

Main Results:

  • The turret region contributes to potassium channel inactivation.
  • Transmembrane helix 1 unwinds during inactivation and rewinds during closure.
  • Conformational changes in the turret and pore helix correlate with inactivation.
  • The turret region mediates functional contacts with the cellular membrane.

Conclusions:

  • Potassium channel inactivation involves structural plasticity in the turret region.
  • The interaction between the turret region and the lipid bilayer influences ion passage.
  • These findings provide new insights into the gating mechanisms of potassium channels.