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News and Views
Nature 438, 167-168 (10 November 2005) | doi:10.1038/438167a; Published online 9 November 2005
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Neurobiology: Triggers for channel opening
Cynthia Czajkowski1
Abstract
Fast transmission between nerve cells relies on specialized ion channels. Probing the structure of these proteins reveals how the binding of a neurotransmitter causes the communication channels to open.
Chemical signalling in the brain involves the rapid opening and closing of channels known as ligand-gated ion channels, which lie in the membranes of nerve cells. Binding of a specific activator (a ligand) to these proteins triggers the opening of an integral pore through the membrane in as little as tens of microseconds1.
- Cynthia Czajkowski is in the Department of Physiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 601 Science Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53711, USA.
Email: czajkowski@physiology.wisc.edu
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