Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels

Practice flashcards for key vocabulary and concepts related to voltage-gated sodium channels from the lecture notes.

Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels (NaVs)

Ion channels that open or close in response to voltage changes across the membrane, allowing sodium ions to pass through.

Action Potential

A rapid rise and fall in voltage across a cell membrane due to the influx and efflux of ions through voltage-gated channels.

Inactivation

The process by which a channel becomes temporarily unable to conduct ions after depolarization, preventing further ion flow.

Pore Domain

The region of the ion channel that forms a selective passage for ions to flow through.

Selectivity Filter

A part of the ion channel that determines which ions can pass through based on their size and charge.

Hydrophobic IFM Motif

A sequence responsible for fast inactivation of sodium channels by occluding the pore, preventing ion flow.

Depolarization

A decrease in membrane potential, making the inside of the cell more positive, often triggering action potentials.

Phosphorylation

The addition of a phosphate group to a protein, which can modify the activity of ion channels, such as NaVs.

Tetrodotoxin (TTX)

A potent neurotoxin that blocks sodium channels, leading to rapid paralysis and failure of the nervous system.

Channelopathies

Disorders caused by dysfunctional ion channels, including various types of epilepsy and pain syndromes.