Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 29, 2025
09:43
Fine-tuning the Size and Minimizing the Noise of Solid-state Nanopores
Published on: October 31, 2013
13.4K
Transmembrane voltage-gated nanopores controlled by electrically tunable in-pore chemistry
Makusu Tsutsui1, Wei-Lun Hsu2, Chien Hsu2
1The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Mihogaoka 8-1, Ibaraki, Osaka, 567-0047, Japan. tsutsui@sanken.osaka-u.ac.jp.
Nature Communications
|February 5, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed voltage-gated solid-state nanopores using tunable chemical reactions. These nanopores control ion flow, enabling novel applications in nanofluidics and neuromorphic computing.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Science
- Biophysics
Background:
- Ion channels control cellular excitability through voltage-gated opening and closing.
- Solid-state nanopores offer tunable platforms for studying ion transport phenomena.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer voltage-gated solid-state nanopores using electrically tunable chemical reactions.
- To demonstrate controllable ion flow and create novel nanofluidic devices.
Main Methods:
- Utilized transmembrane voltage to manipulate cation flow and induce precipitation/dissolution of metal phosphates within a nanopore.
- Observed changes in ionic current due to pore occlusion and reopening by in-pore chemical reactions.
Main Results:
- Achieved reversible nanopore gating through voltage-controlled precipitation and dissolution of metal phosphates.
- Demonstrated a nanofluidic diode with a high rectification ratio exceeding 40,000.
- Developed a memristor with sub-nanowatt power consumption based on dynamic in-pore reactions.
Conclusions:
- Voltage-gated solid-state nanopores can be created via electrically tunable chemical reactions.
- These systems offer potential for developing tunable iontronic circuits and neuromorphic systems.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Potentiometry: Membrane Electrodes
438
Membrane electrodes, also known as p-ion electrodes, use membranes that selectively interact with free analyte ions, generating a potential difference across the membrane. The resulting membrane potential, known as the asymmetry potential, is not zero even when analyte concentrations on both sides of the membrane are equal. The membrane's response is typically not selective to a single analyte but proportional to the concentration of all ions in the sample solution capable of interacting at...
438
01:26Voltage-gated Ion Channels
7.9K
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...
7.9K
01:21Electrochemical Gradient and Channel Proteins: An Overview
1.9K
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 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...
1.9K
01:19Ion Channels
86.1K
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...
86.1K
01:12Mechanically-gated Ion Channels
6.2K
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...
6.2K
01:24Non-gated Ion Channels
6.7K
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....
6.7K