Patch fluorometry: shedding new light on ion channels.
Patch fluorometry has emerged as a new approach to the study of the structure-function relationship in membrane-embedded functional ion channels. Simultaneous fluorescent and electrical recordings are achieved from a small number of channels in a cell-free membrane patch, yielding high recording sensitivities. Further improvement of this approach should permit direct observation of the gating motion of a single-channel protein.
Zheng
Jie
J
Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology, University of California School of Medicine, Davis, California, USA. jzheng@ucdavies.edu
D000818:Animals; D005453:Fluorescence; D005470:Fluorometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques / Q000379:methods*
D007473:Ion Channels