Potassium ions diffuse rapidly across cell
membranes through proteins called K1
channels. This movement underlies many
fundamental biological processes, including
electrical signaling in the nervous system.
Potassium channels use diverse
mechanisms of gating (the processes by
which the pore opens and closes), but they
all exhibit very similar ion permeability
characteristics (1). All K1 channels show
a selectivity sequence of K1 ' Rb1 .
Cs1, whereas permeability for the smallest
alkali metal ions Na1 and Li1 is immeasurably
low. Potassium is at least 10,000
times more permeant than Na1, a feature
that is essential to the function of K1
channels. Potassium channels also share a
constellation of permeability characteristics
that is indicative of a multi-ion
conduction mechanism: The flux of ions
in one direction shows high-order coupling
to flux in the opposite direction, and
ionic mixtures result in anomalous conduction
behavior (2). Because of these
Potassium ions diffuse rapidly across cell
membranes through proteins called K1
channels. This movement underlies many
fundamental biological processes, including
electrical signaling in the nervous system.
Potassium channels use diverse
mechanisms of gating (the processes by
which the pore opens and closes), but they
all exhibit very similar ion permeability
characteristics (1). All K1 channels show
a selectivity sequence of K1 ' Rb1 .
Cs1, whereas permeability for the smallest
alkali metal ions Na1 and Li1 is immeasurably
low. Potassium is at least 10,000
times more permeant than Na1, a feature
that is essential to the function of K1
channels. Potassium channels also share a
constellation of permeability characteristics
that is indicative of a multi-ion
conduction mechanism: The flux of ions
in one direction shows high-order coupling
to flux in the opposite direction, and
ionic mixtures result in anomalous conduction
behavior (2). Because of these
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
