title: Electrophysiology clarifies the megariddles of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore.
abstract: After a brief review of the early history of mitochondrial electrophysiology, the contribution of this approach to the study of the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) is recapitulated. It has for example provided evidence for a dimeric nature of the MPT pore, allowed the distinction between two levels of control of its activity, and underscored the relevance of redox events for the phenomenon. Single-channel recording provides a means to finally solve the riddle of the biochemical entity underlying it by comparing the characteristics of the pore with those of channels formed by candidate molecules or complexes. The possibility that this entity may be the protein import machinery of the inner mitochondrial membrane is emphasized.
authors.affiliation: CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Padova, Italy. zoratti@bio.unipd.it
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zoratti
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: De Marchi
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Biasutto
authors.forename: Ildikò
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Szabò
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000083162:Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore
chemical_list: D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins; D000083162:Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore