Two studies by scientists at the University of Chicago have demonstrated a new way to look into the inner workings of cells—in particular, to track the flow of ions inside the many tiny organelles ...

Ion selectivity is an important property of cell membrane ion channels. For example, potassium ion channels are more permeable to potassium ions than to sodium ions. The mechanism underlying the ready ...

Despite being only a few nanometers in size, they are of fundamental importance for biological processes: Ion channels allow essential ions such as potassium and sodium to enter and leave our cells.

Do only potassium ions pass through the selectivity filter of a potassium channel, or are there water molecules between the ions? This question has been a source of controversy for years. Researchers ...

They are literally channels for communication: Pore-forming proteins in living cells, termed ion channels, are embedded in the outer membrane of almost all cell types and play a crucial role in the ...