Definition
Voltage-gated sodium channels refer to members of the voltage-gated ion channel (VIC) superfamily, which are responsible for energy-independent transport of sodium ions. The opening of these channels is regulated by voltage, ligand, or receptor-binding. Voltage-gated sodium channels participate in transmission and propagation of action potentials in excitable tissues.
Basic Biological Roles of Voltage-Gated Ion Channels
Transmembrane transport is essential for all aspects of life, including uptake and excretion of nutrients, nucleic acids, ions, and drugs. Excitability of tissues accounts for the transmission of chemical and electrical signals in a wide range of organisms. Over 50 years ago, the participation of plasma membrane ion channels in cellular electrogenesis and excitability was described by the Hodgkin-Huxley model (1952). Such transmission and propagation of signals rely on the voltage-gated ion channels (VICs), which are known to transport...
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Tseng, TT. (2013). Sodium Channels, Voltage-Gated. In: Kretsinger, R.H., Uversky, V.N., Permyakov, E.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Metalloproteins. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1533-6_246
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1533-6_246
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