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Related Concept Videos

Ion Channels01:19

Ion Channels

90.8K
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...
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Voltage-gated Ion Channels01:26

Voltage-gated Ion Channels

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

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

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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...
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Non-gated Ion Channels01:24

Non-gated Ion Channels

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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....
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Mechanically-gated Ion Channels01:12

Mechanically-gated Ion Channels

7.5K
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...
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Electrochemical Gradient and Channel Proteins: An Overview01:21

Electrochemical Gradient and Channel Proteins: An Overview

4.1K
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...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 24, 2025

Recapitulation of an Ion Channel IV Curve Using Frequency Components
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Recapitulation of an Ion Channel IV Curve Using Frequency Components

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Structural basis for ion selectivity in TMEM175 K+ channels.

Janine D Brunner1,2,3,4,5, Roman P Jakob2, Tobias Schulze6

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.

Elife
|April 9, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Researchers uncovered the structure of TMEM175 potassium channels, revealing how they achieve selectivity without a typical filter. This finding is crucial for understanding Parkinson Disease and lysosomal function.

Keywords:
E. colihumanion channelmacrobodymolecular biophysicsnanobodyparkinson diseasepotassium channelselectivity filterstructural biology

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 24, 2025

Recapitulation of an Ion Channel IV Curve Using Frequency Components
10:14

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Published on: February 8, 2011

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Area of Science:

  • Structural biology
  • Ion channel biophysics
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • TMEM175 channels are newly identified potassium channels involved in lysosomal pH and autophagosome turnover.
  • These channels are linked to early-onset Parkinson Disease.
  • TMEM175 channels uniquely lack a P-loop selectivity filter, posing a question about their ion selectivity mechanism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the structural basis of ion selectivity in TMEM175 channels.
  • To elucidate the gating mechanism of TMEM175 channels.
  • To understand the role of TMEM175 channel structure in disease association.

Main Methods:

  • X-ray crystallography of a closed bacterial TMEM175 channel.
  • Complex formation with a nanobody fusion protein.
  • Structural analysis of bound potassium ions and pore-lining residues.

Main Results:

  • The X-ray structure revealed bound K+ ions within the TMEM175 channel pore.
  • A conserved layer of threonine residues confers basal K+ selectivity.
  • Human TMEM175 possesses an additional serine layer enhancing selectivity and conferring sensitivity to 4-aminopyridine and Zn2+.
  • Hydrophobic side chains form a physical gate, and iris-like motions open the channel, relocating the gate and exposing the selectivity filter.

Conclusions:

  • TMEM175 channels achieve potassium selectivity through a non-canonical mechanism involving threonine and serine residues.
  • A dynamic gating mechanism involving hydrophobic side chains and iris-like pore movements controls channel opening.
  • Structural insights into TMEM175 channels provide a foundation for understanding their role in Parkinson Disease and lysosomal function.