Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Patch Clamp

Patch Clamp

Many fundamental cell functions such as muscle contraction and nerve transmission rely on the electrical signals produced by the movement of positively and negatively charged ions across the cell membrane. One competent method to record current flowing across the whole cell or single ion channel is the patch-clamp technique.
In this method, a glass micropipette containing electrolyte solution is tightly sealed against a small portion of the cell membrane. As a result, a patch of the cell...

Transport Number

Transport Number

The transport number is the fraction of the total current carried by an ion in an electrolyte solution. It is defined as the ratio of the current carried by a specific ion to the total current flowing through the solution. The transport number, t, is central to understanding ionic mobility, which describes how fast an ion moves under the influence of an electric field. This link connects the physical behavior of ions in solution to the chemical processes that occur during electrochemical...

The Electrical Double Layer

The Electrical Double Layer

In the region where two bulk phases meet, an intricate electric charge distribution arises due to charge transfer, ion adsorption, molecular orientation, and charge distortion. This complex distribution is commonly referred to as the electrical double layer.When a solid electrode interfaces with ions in an electrolyte solution, the speed of electron transfer dictates the rates of oxidation and reduction. The electrode acquires a charge through the escape of atoms into the solution as cations or...

Non-gated Ion Channels

Non-gated Ion Channels

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.

Electrochemical Gradient and Channel Proteins: An Overview

Electrochemical Gradient and Channel Proteins: An Overview

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...

Electrochemical Systems

Electrochemical Systems

Electrochemical systems provide a fascinating insight into the dynamic interplay of charged species within various phases. One notable example is the interaction between a membrane permeable to K⁺ ions but not to Cl⁻ ions, separating an aqueous KCl solution from pure water. As K⁺ ions diffuse through the membrane, they generate net charges on each phase, leading to a potential difference between them.Similarly, when a piece of Zn is immersed in an aqueous ZnSO₄ solution, the Zn metal, composed...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Trivalent ions kinetic-gating for producing high-concentration and shelf-stable plasmid DNA/PEI particles.

Nature communications·2026

Same author

Plug flow down to the nanoscale can induce partial solidification of confined fluids.

Soft matter·2026

Same author

Kinetic Superselectivity in Multivalent Binding.

The journal of physical chemistry letters·2026

Same author

Controlling Payload Heterogeneity in Lipid Nanoparticles for RNA-Based Therapeutics.

Advanced functional materials·2026

Same author

Self-oscillating synchronematic colloids.

Nature communications·2026

Same author

Unravel the rotational and translational behavior of a single squirmer in flexible polymer solutions at different Reynolds numbers.

Communications physics·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Measurement of Ion Concentration in the Unstirred Boundary Layer with Open Patch-Clamp Pipette: Implications in Control of Ion Channels by Fluid Flow

Measurement of Ion Concentration in the Unstirred Boundary Layer with Open Patch-Clamp Pipette: Implications in Control of Ion Channels by Fluid Flow

Published on: January 7, 2019

Charge localization, rectification, and transport in electrolyte patchy nanochannels.

Sergi G Leyva^1,2, Gabriele Dalla Valle^3,4, Tine Curk^5,6

¹Center for Computation and Theory of Soft Materials, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.

Faraday Discussions

|July 7, 2026

Summary

Heterogeneous nanochannels with charged patches control ion localization and transport. These localized charges enable diode-like rectification and tunable ionic current-voltage characteristics, offering new possibilities for nanochannel applications.

More Related Videos

Application of Electrophysiology Measurement to Study the Activity of Electro-Neutral Transporters

Application of Electrophysiology Measurement to Study the Activity of Electro-Neutral Transporters

Published on: February 3, 2018

High Resolution Physical Characterization of Single Metallic Nanoparticles

High Resolution Physical Characterization of Single Metallic Nanoparticles

Published on: June 28, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Measurement of Ion Concentration in the Unstirred Boundary Layer with Open Patch-Clamp Pipette: Implications in Control of Ion Channels by Fluid Flow

Measurement of Ion Concentration in the Unstirred Boundary Layer with Open Patch-Clamp Pipette: Implications in Control of Ion Channels by Fluid Flow

Published on: January 7, 2019

Application of Electrophysiology Measurement to Study the Activity of Electro-Neutral Transporters

Application of Electrophysiology Measurement to Study the Activity of Electro-Neutral Transporters

Published on: February 3, 2018

High Resolution Physical Characterization of Single Metallic Nanoparticles

High Resolution Physical Characterization of Single Metallic Nanoparticles

Published on: June 28, 2019

Area of Science:

Physical Chemistry
Nanotechnology
Electrochemistry

Background:

Ionic charge localization and transport are crucial in nanochannels.
Heterogeneous channel walls can influence ion behavior.
Controlled ion accumulation is key for nanochannel applications.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate ionic charge localization and transport in nanochannels with heterogeneous walls.
To understand the mechanisms behind charge accumulation and ion mobility.
To explore the potential for diode-like rectification and tunable transport.

Main Methods:

Lattice-Boltzmann simulations.
Analytical modeling.
Force-balance analysis.

Main Results:

Localized charged patches trap counterions, enabling controlled charge accumulation.
Rectification of ionic flow under electric fields and pressure gradients.
Pressure-driven flow shifts dissociation threshold, creating asymmetric current-voltage characteristics.
Dynamic control of charge transport using moving wall patches.

Conclusions:

Patchy wall potentials offer a minimal mechanism for controlling ionic localization and transport.
Demonstrated diode-like rectification without geometric asymmetry.
Identified drift- and diffusion-dominated transport regimes.