Reaction kinetic parameters for ion transport from steady-state current-voltage curves

This study demonstrates possible ways to estimate the rate constants of reaction kinetic models for ion transport from steady-state current-voltage data as measured at various substrate concentrations. This issue is treated theoretically by algebraic reduction and extension of a reaction kinetic four-state model for uniport. Furthermore, an example for application is given; current-voltage data from an open K+ selective channel (Schroeder, J.I., R. Hedrich, and J.M. Fernandez, 1984, Nature (Lond.), 312:361-362) supplemented by some new data have been evaluated. The analysis yields absolute numerical estimates of the 14 rate constants of a six-state model, which is discussed in a wider context.