Access

Review

Nature 419, 35-42 (5 September 2002) | doi:10.1038/nature00978

Open Innovation Challenges

naturejobs

The voltage-gated potassium channels and their relatives

Gary Yellen

Top

The voltage-gated potassium channels are the prototypical members of a family of membrane signalling proteins. These protein-based machines have pores that pass millions of ions per second across the membrane with astonishing selectivity, and their gates snap open and shut in milliseconds as they sense changes in voltage or ligand concentration. The architectural modules and functional components of these sophisticated signalling molecules are becoming clear, but some important links remain to be elucidated.