(Phys.org)—One of the mysteries in biology is how cells can selectively diffuse potassium across a membrane. Biological systems rely on a delicate balance between these potassium and sodium ion concentrations in the surrounding ...
Scientists from the Vaziri lab at the Vienna Biocenter, together with colleagues at the Institute for Biophysical Dynamics at the University of Chicago, have developed a method using infrared spectroscopy and atomistic modeling ...
Biochemistry
May 18, 2015
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The rough-skinned newt is easily one of the most toxic animals on the planet, yet the common garter snake routinely eats it. How does a newt which produces enough toxin to kill several grown humans almost immediately manage ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 17, 2014
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A common protein plays a different role than previously thought in the opening and closing of channels that let ions flow in and out of our cells, researchers at Johns Hopkins report. Those channels are critical to life, ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 27, 2014
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Ion channels are involved in many physiological and pathophysiological processes throughout the human body. A young team of researchers led by pharmacologist Anna Stary-Weinzinger from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 2, 2014
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The diuretic agent amiloride is used for the treatment of high blood pressure. Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich researchers have now synthesized a photosensitive version, which allows regulating the function of sodium-specific ...
Biochemistry
Jul 22, 2014
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Using spider toxins to study the proteins that let nerve cells send out electrical signals, Johns Hopkins researchers say they have stumbled upon a biological tactic that may offer a new way to protect crops from insect plagues ...
Ecology
Jul 11, 2014
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Researchers at Johns Hopkins have spotted a strong family trait in two distant relatives: The channels that permit entry of sodium and calcium ions into cells turn out to share similar means for regulating ion intake, they ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 1, 2014
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Take a muscle cell, modify it over millions of years, and you end up with an exciting and literally shocking evolutionary result: the electric fish. Electric fish have evolved several times in varying levels of complexity. ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 29, 2014
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Sodium channels are implicated in many serious conditions such as heart disease, epilepsy and pain, making them an important potential target for drug therapies. Unfortunately, there is still much scientists do not know about ...
Biochemistry
Apr 17, 2014
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