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currents through single ion channels can be recorded through patch clamp
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the flux of ions through a channel differs from diffusion in a free solution
- driving force is determined by electrical potential difference and concentration gradients
- some open channels act as simple resistors where current varies linearly with driving force
- some channels behave as rectifier - conducts ions more readily in one direction than in the other, where current is nonlinear function of driving force
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the opening and closing of a channel involve conformational changes
- each ion channel has at least one open and one closed state
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the structure of ion channels is inferred from studies
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ion channels can be grouped into gene families
references
Kandel, E. R., Koester, J., Mack, S., & Siegelbaum, S. (Eds.). (2021). Principles of neural science (Sixth edition). McGraw Hill.