Ion channels are membrane proteins that selectively allow ions to flow down their electrochemical gradient across the cellular membrane. They localize in both plasma and intracellular membranes and regulate a variety of functions such as neuronal excitability, heartbeat, muscle contraction and hormones release. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanism of ion channels function and regulation is one of the key goals of modern Biophysics. During my PhD thesis, by combining patch-clamp measurements with site-direct mutagenesis, fluorophore labeling experiments and pharmacological assays, I explored some functional and structural properties of different ion transporters: the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX); the large conductance Ca2+-voltage activated K+ channel (BK) channel; the human Transient receptor potential, member A1 (TRPA1) channel.
University of Florence, Italy - ORCID: 0000-0003-3617-4953
Book Title
Using the Patch-Clamp technique to shed light on ion channels structure, function and pharmacology
Authors
Roberta Gualdani
Peer Reviewed
Number of Pages
64
Publication Year
2013
Copyright Information
© 2013 Author(s)
Content License
Metadata License
Publisher Name
Firenze University Press
DOI
10.36253/978-88-6655-453-0
ISBN Print
978-88-6655-452-3
eISBN (pdf)
978-88-6655-453-0
eISBN (xml)
978-88-9273-470-8
Series Title
Premio Tesi di Dottorato
Series ISSN
2612-8039
Series E-ISSN
2612-8020