The quantum-mechanical approach to channel gating described in this book is based on single-electron tunneling across arginine and lysine residues of the S4 transmembrane protein segment. Models for controlling the gating of ion channels by electrons have most likely been considered by other researchers; however, there is a problem - an electron gating model requires a mechanism for amplification in order to match the experimental data for ion channel voltage sensitivity. Amplification based on the inversion of NH3, addresses this sensitivity problem.

Chapter Contents:

• 1.1 The electron-gating model
• 1.2 Electron gating of a sodium channel
• 1.3 Timing
• 1.4 Sodium channel current
• 1.5 Sensitivity
• 1.6 Amplification and negative conductance
• 1.7 Model parameters

Inspec keywords: biomembrane transport; molecular biophysics; bioelectric phenomena; proteins

Other keywords: lysine residues; electron-gating model; ion channel gating; arginine residues; S4 transmembrane protein segment; single-electron tunneling; quantum-mechanical approach; amplification; ion channel voltage sensitivity

Subjects: Bioelectric signals; Biological transport; cellular and subcellular transmembrane physics; Bioelectricity; Electrical activity in neurophysiological processes; Molecular biophysics; Natural and artificial biomembranes