The voltage-gated potassium channels and their relatives.
The voltage-gated potassium channels are the prototypical members of a family of membrane signalling proteins. These protein-based machines have pores that pass millions of ions per second across the membrane with astonishing selectivity, and their gates snap open and shut in milliseconds as they sense changes in voltage or ligand concentration. The architectural modules and functional components of these sophisticated signalling molecules are becoming clear, but some important links remain to be elucidated.
Yellen
Gary
G
Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. gary_yellen@hms.harvard.edu
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D008024:Ligands; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D013379:Substrate Specificity
D008024:Ligands; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium