title: How and why are channels in transporters?
abstract: Traditionally, transporters and ion channels have been thought of as structurally and functionally distinct proteins. However, neurotransmitter transporters can be both. Vandenberg and Ryan discuss recent developments in understanding how and why these transporters contain ion channels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute for Biomedical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006 Australia. robv@med.usyd.edu.au <robv@med.usyd.edu.au>
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Vandenberg
authors.forename: Renae M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ryan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D002450:Cell Communication; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000502:physiology; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D017136:Ion Transport; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D050479:Neurotransmitter Transport Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011487:Protein Conformation; D051381:Rats; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D018118:Chloride Channels; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D007473:Ion Channels; D050479:Neurotransmitter Transport Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins