Tag Archives: channel

Engineering long-wavelength light-driven ion channels to hear the light

Artificial stimulation of the cochlea.

Optogenetics enables the remote control of neuronal activity by light. This is accomplished by channelrhodopsins, light-sensitive molecular switches, which are integrated into the neurons by adeno-associated viruses (AAVs)as gene ferries. AAVs are convenient and safe for gene

Functional significance of interhelical interactions between aspartic acid and cysteine residues in microbial rhodopsin

proton-pump type microbial rhodopsins

Microbial rhodopsins are photoreceptive seven-transmembrane proteins that contain all-trans retinal as a chromophore. Upon photon absorption, these proteins undergo a cycling photoreaction, where first the initial trans-to-cis isomerization of retinal induced by illumination leads to the formation

P2X7 antagonism: a specific tool to decrease inflammatory status in human atherosclerotic vessels?

Atherosclerosis is a dynamic progressive disease of the large arteries characterized by the tendency to accumulate lipids, inflammatory cells, smooth muscle cells and extracellular matrix within the sub-endothelial space, and progressing in unpredictable way to different stage.

Continuous fabrication of polymeric vesicles and nanotubes with fluidic channels

Wilson and coworkers reported a fluidic channel based strategy for fabricating different shaped polymeric vesicles. The formation of polymeric vesicles is based on the self-assembly of amphiphilic block polymer, which constitutes of a hydrophobic segment and a

“Driving force”-dependent block in the inward rectifier K+ channel

Ion channels are protein pores allowing specific ions to pass through cell membrane to maintain resting membrane potential, or to generate various physiological electrical signals. The inward rectifier K+ channel (Kir channel) is noted for the strong