Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 11, 2025
13:07
One-channel Cell-attached Patch-clamp Recording
Published on: June 9, 2014
24.7K
Ionic channels in nerve membranes, 50 years on
1Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Box 357290, Seattle, WA, 98195-7290, USA.
Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology
|December 2, 2021
Summary
The hypothesis of ion channels has evolved from early concepts to detailed biophysical and molecular understanding. Key discoveries reveal their complex structure and function in biological systems.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Molecular Biology
- Physiology
- Biomedical Science
Background:
- The concept of ion channels emerged in the early 1970s.
- Initial hypotheses laid the groundwork for understanding cellular electrical signaling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To trace the historical development of ion channel research.
- To highlight the progression from hypothesis to detailed characterization.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of scientific literature.
- Review of advancements in biophysical, molecular, biochemical, and structural biology techniques.
Main Results:
- Sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) channels, crucial for action potentials, have been extensively studied.
- These channels are conformationally flexible, multi-pass glycosylated membrane proteins with known atomic structures.
Conclusions:
- Ion channel research has matured into a significant discipline.
- The journey illustrates the scientific process from initial ideas to a comprehensive understanding.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Voltage-gated Ion Channels
9.0K
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...
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...
9.0K
01:24Non-gated Ion Channels
7.4K
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....
Compared to the gated ion channels, the non-gated channels, also known as leakage or passive channels, have no gating mechanism....
7.4K
01:19Ion Channels
88.9K
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...
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow...
88.9K
01:12Mechanically-gated Ion Channels
6.9K
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...
6.9K
01:19The Role of Ion Channels in Neuronal Computation
3.3K
A postsynaptic neuron usually receives numerous impulses from several other presynaptic neurons. The axon hillock of the postsynaptic neuron integrates all these signals and determines the likelihood of firing an action potential.
Sometimes a single EPSP is strong enough to induce an action potential in the postsynaptic neuron. However, multiple presynaptic inputs must often create EPSPs around the same time for the postsynaptic neuron to be sufficiently depolarized to fire an action potential....
Sometimes a single EPSP is strong enough to induce an action potential in the postsynaptic neuron. However, multiple presynaptic inputs must often create EPSPs around the same time for the postsynaptic neuron to be sufficiently depolarized to fire an action potential....
3.3K
01:19Ligand-gated Ion Channels
13.0K
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...
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...
13.0K