Intrigued by the properties of ion channel proteins commonly observed in cells, researchers have developed the first synthetic mechanosensitive potassium channel using a newly developed aromatic ...

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute one of the largest families of membrane proteins and play a pivotal role in translating extracellular signals into diverse intracellular responses. A key ...

To understand the molecular machinery of the human body, scientists have to be able to observe the structure of cellular proteins. This has been particularly challenging for those proteins embedded in ...

A biomimetic synapse built from water droplets and biological ion channels achieves synaptic plasticity and performs machine learning tasks.

Following this design principle, the researchers create angstrom-scale pores in bi-layer graphene sheets, and decorate the two pore edges with twisted rings of carbonyl groups. The artificial ion ...

RICHMOND, Va. (Sept. 18, 2008) – Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine researchers have uncovered how sodium is able to control specific potassium ion channels in cells, according to new ...

Ion channels in the nervous system are among the most important targets for insecticides. Understanding the structure of the channels is key for the identification of novel species-specific binding ...

A study published in the 19 October Nature shows that one subunit of a potassium channel has a pivotal role in controlling vascular smooth muscle tone. This raises the possibility that defects in this ...

Researchers at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory have been working on this problem for years; now, together with partners from Harvard University, they have perfected a new ...

This article and associated images are based on a poster originally authored by Sivakumar, M, Smith, E, Shumate, J, Scampavia, L, Spicer, T, Hernandez, D and Peters, C and presented at ELRIG Drug ...

Ion selectivity is an important property of cell membrane ion channels. For example, potassium ion channels are more permeable to potassium ions than to sodium ions. The mechanism underlying the ready ...