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Related Concept Videos

Ion Channels01:19

Ion Channels

91.3K
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...
91.3K
Non-gated Ion Channels01:24

Non-gated Ion Channels

8.1K
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....
8.1K
G-Protein Gated Ion Channels01:21

G-Protein Gated Ion Channels

5.7K
GPCRs are primarily responsible for our sense of smell, taste, and vision.  The binding of a sensory stimulus activates GPCR to stimulate effector proteins, many of which are ion channels in the sensory organs. GPCRs modulate the opening and closing of the target ion channels either directly by binding them, or by releasing second messengers that activate these channels. As ions move across the membrane, the membrane potential is altered, which induces an appropriate response.
Sensory...
5.7K
Ligand-gated Ion Channels01:19

Ligand-gated Ion Channels

14.1K
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...
14.1K
Voltage-gated Ion Channels01:26

Voltage-gated Ion Channels

10.6K
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...
10.6K
Mechanically-gated Ion Channels01:12

Mechanically-gated Ion Channels

7.6K
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...
7.6K

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Updated: Jan 26, 2026

Author Spotlight: Exploring the Role of Ion Channels in Cancer: Characterization and Potential Treatment Approaches
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Author Spotlight: Exploring the Role of Ion Channels in Cancer: Characterization and Potential Treatment Approaches

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Mechanosensitive ion channels push cancer progression.

Zoltán Pethő1, Karolina Najder1, Etmar Bulk1

  • 1Institut für Physiologie II, Robert-Koch-Str. 27b, 48149 Münster, Germany.

Cell Calcium
|April 17, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Mechanosensitive ion channels are crucial in cancer progression, regulating cell behavior and tumor spread. These channels control calcium (Ca2+) signaling, impacting tumor development and the surrounding microenvironment.

Keywords:
Calcium signalingCancer progressionIon channelMechanosensationMechanotransductionMicroenvironment

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Multifunctional, Micropipette-based Method for Incorporation And Stimulation of Bacterial Mechanosensitive Ion Channels in Droplet Interface Bilayers
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Multifunctional, Micropipette-based Method for Incorporation And Stimulation of Bacterial Mechanosensitive Ion Channels in Droplet Interface Bilayers

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Expression and Purification of Mammalian Bestrophin Ion Channels
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Expression and Purification of Mammalian Bestrophin Ion Channels

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Multifunctional, Micropipette-based Method for Incorporation And Stimulation of Bacterial Mechanosensitive Ion Channels in Droplet Interface Bilayers
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Expression and Purification of Mammalian Bestrophin Ion Channels
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Expression and Purification of Mammalian Bestrophin Ion Channels

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Cancer Research
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Tumor mechanical properties often differ from host tissues, influencing cancer progression.
  • Mechanical cues from the tumor microenvironment regulate cancer cell migration, proliferation, and metastasis.
  • Cancer cells exhibit outside-in mechanosensation of stimuli like stiffness and shear stress.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the roles of mechanosensitive ion channels in cancer progression.
  • To highlight the involvement of these channels in calcium (Ca2+) signaling within tumor cells and the stroma.
  • To pinpoint the functional relevance of mechanosensitive ion channels in tumor pathophysiology.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on mechanosensitive ion channels and their role in cancer.
  • Analysis of mechanisms of mechanotransduction (inside-in and inside-out) in cancer.
  • Discussion of specific ion channel families (e.g., Piezo, TRP, K2P, KCa) involved in Ca2+ signaling.

Main Results:

  • Mechanosensitive ion channels are key mediators of cellular responses to mechanical stimuli.
  • These channels are critically involved in regulating intracellular calcium (Ca2+) levels in cancer and stromal cells.
  • Both direct Ca2+ influx (e.g., Piezo, TRP channels) and indirect gradient maintenance (e.g., K2P, KCa channels) are affected.

Conclusions:

  • Mechanosensitive ion channels play diverse and significant roles in cancer progression.
  • Their involvement in Ca2+ signaling is central to regulating tumor cell behavior and microenvironment interactions.
  • Targeting these channels may offer novel therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.