title: [Ion channels and water channels--a prerequisite for living cells and electric signals in the brain].
abstract: Water channels and ion channels are membrane proteins that transport water and ions into and out of cells with high selectivity and efficiency. Peter Agre and Roderick MacKinnon were awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry 2003 for their discoveries of the structure of water channels and ion channel proteins, thus explaining basal mechanisms that are fundamental to all forms of life and in particular to the electrical signalling in the brain. These scientific achievements answer questions that biophysicists and physiologists have discussed since the 19th century.
authors.affiliation: Fysiologisk institutt, Universitetet i Oslo, Postboks 1103 Blindern, 0317 Oslo.
authors.forename: Johan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Storm
mesh_terms: D020346:Aquaporins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014867:Water / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D020346:Aquaporins; D007473:Ion Channels; D014867:Water