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Nature 419, 683-684 (17 October 2002) | doi:10.1038/419683a

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Neurobiology: Neurotrophin channels excitement

Yves-Alain Barde

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Sodium-ion channels usually open in response to a voltage change across the membrane in which they sit. But, surprisingly, a growth factor secreted by neurons also rapidly triggers the opening of a specific sodium channel.

Ion channels are remarkable proteins that regulate the transfer of ions across the lipid bilayers that make up cellular membranes. These proteins are required for a variety of physiological processes; for instance, a group of cation-selective channels is responsible for conducting action potentials along nerve cells, allowing them to transfer information from one place to another.