Action of lanthanoide ion on amino-acid receptor-channel-Is this ion species specifically recognized?

Ion conduction and selectivity in acid-sensing ion channel 1

The ability of acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) to discriminate among cations was assessed based on changes in conductance and reversal potential with ion substitution. Human ASIC1a was expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, and acid-induced currents were measured using two-electrode voltage clamp. Replacement of extracellular Na(+) with Li(+), K(+), Rb(+), or Cs(+) altered inward conductance an...

Calcium-permeable acid-sensing ion channel is a molecular target of the neurotoxic metal ion lead.

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are emerging as fundamental players in the regulation of neural plasticity and in pathological conditions. Here we showed that lead (Pb2+), a well known neurotoxic metal ion, reversibly and concentration-dependently inhibited ASIC currents in the acutely dissociated spinal dorsal horn and hippocampal CA1 neurons of rats. In vitro expression of ASIC subunits in ...

A voltage-gated ion channel expressed specifically in spermatozoa.

Calcium ions play a primary role in the regulation of sperm cell behavior. We report finding a voltage-gated ion channel (CatSper2) that is expressed in male germ cells but not in other cells. The putative channel contains 6 transmembrane segments, making it more similar to the voltage-gated potassium channels, but the ion selectivity pore domain sequence resembles that of a Ca(v) channel. The ...

Ion channel activity drives ion channel expression.

Receptor Dramatically Alter Ion Channel Function

Site-directed mutagenesis was used to mutate aCys418 and (3Cys447 in the M4 domain of Torpedo califomica acetylcholine receptor expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The M4 region is a transmembrane domain thought to be located at the lipid-protein interface. By whole-cell voltage clamp analysis, mutation of both a subunits to aTrp418 increased maximal channel activity approximately threefold, i...