Structure
Cell membrane
Controls what enters and leaves the cell.
Ion channel
A protein pore that lets particular ions cross a membrane. Single channels can be recorded opening and closing.Source: Neher & Sakmann, 1976Source: Doyle et al., 1998
Step 2 of 7ReadingMolecule
How Ion channel connects
Ion channel is part of
Ion channel is an example of
Level of life
Protein
A chain of amino acids folded into a working shape. Proteins act as enzymes, structures, signals and transporters.
Ion channel is used by
Process
Action potential
A brief electrical pulse that travels along a neuron as sodium and potassium ions flow through channels.
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Sources & further reading
The explanations on this page are our own summaries of these sources. Follow a link to read the original; if anything here disagrees with it, the original wins. How we choose and check sources.
Single-channel currents recorded from membrane of denervated frog muscle fibres (opens the original in a new tab)
Neher E, Sakmann B (1976). Nature 260:799-802.
Peer-reviewedPrimary researchThe structure of the potassium channel: molecular basis of K+ conduction and selectivity (opens the original in a new tab)
Doyle DA, Morais Cabral J, Pfuetzner RA, et al. (1998). Science 280:69-77.
Peer-reviewedPrimary research