Ion Channels: From Physiology to Channelopathies
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 1769
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Ion channels are protein molecules that span across the cell membrane and enable the passage of ions from one side of the membrane to the other. They have an aqueous pore, which becomes accessible to ions after a conformational change in the protein structure that causes the ion channel to open. Widely regarded as attractive drug targets for many therapeutic applications, ion channels represent the third-largest class of targets in drug discovery after G-protein-coupled receptors and kinases, thus emphasizing their ”tractable” nature. Nonetheless, ion channels remain underexploited as drug targets. Not surprisingly, the malfunction of ion channels has been found to be associated with a wide variety of diseases, including epilepsy, stroke, pain, cystic fibrosis, skeletal muscle disorders, and certain types of cardiac arrhythmias. Understanding the genetics, molecular structure, biophysical properties, gating, and regulatory mechanisms of ion channels will provide us with a basic understanding of their exceptional diversity. Moreover, an investigation of their roles in physiology and disease will also provide insight into ion channel function, which may ultimately lead to the identification of novel targets for disease treatment.
This Special Issue of IJMS aims to expand our current understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of ion channels. We intend to offer a platform for high-quality publications on various aspects of ion channels. Bringing together these different aspects in a single Special Issue will hopefully trigger further findings which are relevant in the development of new therapies for human diseases.
Dr. Bikash R. Pattnaik
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- ion channels
- molecular mechanism
