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ion channels
Also known as: ion channel
Facts (29)
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Thinking about the action potential: the nerve signal as a window to ... frontiersin.org 9 facts
claimIn the Hodgkin and Huxley model, ion channels open and close in a time- and voltage-dependent manner, allowing ionic currents (such as Na+, K+, and Cl-) to flow across the axonal membrane, generating a transient alteration of the transmembrane potential known as the action potential, which propagates via active and passive conduction.
claimXu et al. (2013) reported that Na+ ion channels are distributed in axons in a periodic pattern that correlates with cytoskeletal rings of actin and spectrin, indicating a direct functional or structural interaction between these cytoskeletal filaments and membrane-anchored ion channel proteins.
referenceThe electricity-centered framework for modeling action potentials uses a reductionistic/mechanistic approach, focuses on electric phenomenology (ionic current flow), emphasizes functional transformations in microscopic cellular entities like ion channels, treats non-electrical phenomena as epiphenomena, and views propagation as an irreversible, energy-consuming process.
claimThe Hodgkin-Huxley model provides a framework for investigating the structural and functional properties of ion channels, specifically regarding the mechanisms of ion permeation, gating, and selectivity.
claimThe concept of the 'ion channel' within the original Hodgkin-Huxley model evolved from a largely theoretical concept into a recognized molecular entity in the decades following the model's formulation.
claimThe concept of the 'ion channel' initially served as a designation for the relative contribution of ions, specifically sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+), to action potential generation and propagation, rather than denoting an actual physical mechanism.
referenceIn the Hodgkin and Huxley model, the action potential is presented as the result of depolarization-induced, voltage- and time-dependent opening and closure of ion channels in the membrane, allowing the passive flow of sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) ions into and out of the neuronal cytoplasm along their respective electrochemical ion gradients.
referenceThe Hodgkin and Huxley model treats the neuronal membrane as a capacitor and ion channels as resistors, where changes in ionic conductance across the membrane cause a sudden and transient alteration of the transmembrane potential.
claimWnek (2016) suggests that ion channels and pumps in the axolemma control coupled ion exchange events to ensure the monovalent/divalent balance is set correctly for a phase transition between resting and excited states.
Bioelectricity - The Levin Lab drmichaellevin.org 3 facts
claimIon channels and pumps are expressed in the early embryonic stages of chick and Xenopus development.
referenceSousounis, K., Erdogan, B., Levin, M., and Whited, J. L. published 'Precise control of ion channel and gap junction expression is required for patterning of the regenerating axolotl limb' in the 'International Journal of Developmental Biology' in 2020.
claimIon channels, membrane voltage, and the cell cycle serve as bioelectric controls of cell proliferation, according to a 2009 study by Blackiston, McLaughlin, and Levin published in Cell Cycle.
Peer-Reviewed Papers - The Levin Lab drmichaellevin.org 2 facts
referenceCervera et al. (2020) published 'Bioelectrical model of head-tail patterning based on cell ion channels and intercellular gap junctions' in Bioelectrochemistry, which models head-tail patterning using ion channels and gap junctions.
referenceMasuelli, S., Real, S., McMillen, P., Oudin, M., Levin, M., and Roqué, M. published 'The Yin and Yang of Breast Cancer: Ion Channels as Determinants of Left-Right Functional Differences' in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences in 2023.
Bioelectricity | Department of Biology - School of Arts and Sciences as.tufts.edu 2 facts
referenceThe publication 'EDEn – Electroceutical Design Environment: An Ion Channel Database with Small Molecule Modulators' by Durant et al. (2019) introduces the Electroceutical Design Environment (EDEn), a database of ion channels and their small molecule modulators.
referenceThe publication 'From non-excitable single-cell to multicellular bioelectrical states supported by ion channels and gap junction proteins: electrical potentials as distributed controllers' by Whited and Levin (2019) describes how ion channels and gap junction proteins support bioelectrical states in both single-cell and multicellular organisms, acting as distributed controllers.
Neuroanatomy, Neuron Action Potential - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf ncbi.nlm.nih.gov 2 facts
claimMyelin sheaths increase membrane resistance by patching areas where ion channels would otherwise leak.
claimIon channels in the neuronal membrane are gated by second messengers, neurotransmitters, or voltage changes, allowing permeable ions to flow down their electrochemical gradients and alter the membrane potential.
New research reveals a hidden source of cellular bioelectricity news-medical.net Dec 19, 2025 2 facts
claimDeniz suggests that local changes in membrane potential could have important biological implications, such as influencing the function of ion channels and other membrane proteins regulated by voltage.
claimIon channels are proteins that rapidly transport molecules across the cell membrane and are activated by changes in cell membrane voltage.
Understanding the Science behind Bioelectricity - Hilaris Publisher hilarispublisher.com 2 facts
claimBioelectricity arises at the cellular level from the movement of ions across cell membranes, which is driven by ion channels, pumps, and exchangers.
claimAt the cellular level, bioelectricity manifests as voltage gradients across cell membranes, which are driven by the movement of ions through ion channels and pumps.
Action potential: Definition, Steps, Phases | Kenhub kenhub.com 1 fact
claimAn action potential is caused by temporary changes in membrane permeability for diffusible ions, which causes ion channels to open and ions to decrease their concentration gradients.
Consciousness in Artificial Intelligence? A Framework for Classifying ... arxiv.org Nov 20, 2025 1 fact
claimElectromagnetic fields (EMFs) in the brain involve action potentials in neurons, ion channels that modulate neural firing, ephaptic coupling (where the firing of a neuron indirectly influences other neurons), and oscillatory waves at the population level.
Bioelectric signaling: Reprogrammable circuits underlying ... cell.com Apr 6, 2021 1 fact
claimSpecific ion channels play functional roles in development, cancer, and regeneration.
Quantum Approaches to Consciousness plato.stanford.edu Nov 30, 2004 1 fact
claimAt chemical synapses, a signal is propagated when a chemical transmitter, such as glutamate, is released at the presynaptic terminal via exocytosis, diffuses across the synaptic cleft, and binds to receptors at the postsynaptic membrane to open an ion channel.
The role of light in regulating plant growth, development and sugar ... frontiersin.org Jan 6, 2025 1 fact
claimBlue light triggers the opening of ion channels in plant cell membranes by regulating the phototropin receptor, which facilitates the uptake and accumulation of mineral nutrients.
Medicinal plants: bioactive compounds, biological activities ... frontiersin.org 1 fact
claimSulfur-containing secondary metabolites in plants may enhance their antimicrobial activity by promoting the development of ion channels in the cell membrane.
Editorial: Recent Advances in Electroreception and Electrogeneration frontiersin.org 1 fact
claimProcessing of sensory input by the brain is achieved through a combination of neural circuits and ion channels embedded in the cell membrane.