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Nature 440, 427-429 (23 March 2006) | doi:10.1038/440427a; Published online 22 March 2006

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Membrane biology: Permutations of permeability

William N. Zagotta1

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The first glimpse into the molecular basis of how sodium ions are transported across cell membranes by ion channels shows that cation-selective channels are variations on potassium channels.

Ion channels are nature's gatekeepers: by allowing certain ions to pass across the membrane and excluding others, these proteins control the electrical state of the cell. Channels selective for sodium ions allow Na+ to enter the cell, causing depolarization of the membrane.

  1. William N. Zagotta is in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Box 357290, Seattle, Washington 98195-7290, USA.
    Email: zagotta@u.washington.edu

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