Correlations among Hill parameters reflect models of activating ligand-gated ion channels.
Molecular biology has contributed a concept, novel in pharmacology, in which the receptor is an independent variable. Site-directed mutagenesis of ligand-gated ion channels is now commonplace. The mutant receptor is usually characterized by the Hill parameters that describe concentration-response curves from transfected, voltage-clamped cells. In this article, Charles Spivak describes how to convert parameters for realistic models of channel activation into Hill parameters. Correlations among the Hill parameters that the models enforce can be useful in tentatively assigning a physiological function to the mutation site.
Spivak
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Division of Intramural Research, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects*; D008024:Ligands; D008954:Models, Biological; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
D008024:Ligands