CHEMISTRY OF LIFE

Ion conducting channels in nerve

impulse formation and transmission
Group 1 - K71K

● Nguyen Hai Dang 07/09

● Nguyen Quy Duong
● Pham Thi Nhu Lua
● Hoang Xuan Quynh (Leader)
 How neurons communicate?
● All functions performed by the nervous system - from a
simple motor reflex to more advanced functions like making a
memory or a decision - require neurons to communicate
with one another.
● While humans use words and body language to communicate,
neurons use electrical and chemical signals.

● One neuron usually receives and synthesizes

messages from multiple other neurons before
“making the decision” to send the message on to
other neurons.

As we know, the nervous system plays a very important role in the body, it
is the center that controls activities and behavior, as well as receiving,
processing and reacting to information.
 Resting Membrane Potential
● Concept
- The voltage difference between the two
cell membranes when not stimulated
- The inside has a negative charge, the
outside has a positive charge

● Mẹchanism
- Ion distribution on both sides of the cell membrane
and ion movement across the cell membrane
- Selective permeability: K+ gate opens, K+ goes out
- Na-K pump

● Concept
- The inside has a negative charge, the outside has a positive charge
- The voltage difference between the two cell membranes when not stimulated
● Mechanism:
- Ion distribution on both sides of the cell membrane and ion movement across
the cell membrane (high amount of Na+ outside, high amount of K+ inside)
- Selective permeability: K+ gate opens, K+ goes out (When the K+ gate
opens --> K+ diffuses from inside to outside)
- Na-K pump: When K+ moves inside the cell --> Na+ will seep in from the
outside --> helping maintain the resting potential.
 Action potential
● Concept:
- When a nerve cell is stimulated, the resting potential changes
to an active potential
- The action potential consists of three phases: polarization
(depolarization), reversal, and repolarization

● Mechanism:
- Polarization
- Polarity reversal
- Repolarization

Mechanism:
- Polarization: when stimulated, an action potential appears because the ion
channel (Na+) opens, leading to Na+ ions diffusing from outside into the cell to
neutralize the negative charge in the cell membrane. The potential on both
sides of the membrane decreases rapidly from -70mV to 0mV
- Polarity reversal: Na+ ions with (+) charge enter to neutralize the (-) charge in
the cell. The excess amount of Na+ entering the cell causes the inside of the
cell to carry a (+) charge.
- Repolarization: there is still a lot of Na+ inside the cell, leading to less Na+
outside the cell membrane permeating into the cell, leading to the Na+ channel
closing. K+ permeability increases so the K+ channel opens, leading to the K+
ions inside moving out -> the resting potential is restored to -70mV.
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 Some ion conducting channels
The sodium ion channel The potassium ion channel
- An example of Voltage-Gated Channel - Homologous to the Sodium Channel
- Responsible for the transmission - Maintain the electromagnetic potential
- Works by opening and closing - Cell membrane restoration process

The Calcium ion channel The Chlorine ion channel

- Play a central role in cell signaling - Signal transduction response
- Hormone secretion and cell signal - Maintain electrochemical balance
transduction.

Na+ Channel (Sodium):

Responsible for the transmission of nerve impulses and the generation of
action potentials.
Works by opening and closing rapidly to regulate the flow of ions across cell
membranes.
K+ channel (Potassium):
Plays an important role in maintaining the cell's electromagnetic potential and
the process of cell membrane recovery after a nerve impulse has been
transmitted.
Operates mainly in open form and can be stable for long periods of time.
Ca2+ Channel (Calcium):
Participate in many cellular functions such as nerve impulse transmission,
hormone secretion and cell signal transmission.
Works by opening and closing to regulate Calcium levels in cells and the same
process also happens rapidly.
Cl- channels:
Maintaining electrochemical balance: Cl- channels are involved in maintaining
the electrochemical balance of the cell by regulating the flow of Cl- ions into
and out of the cell. This keeps the cell's electrode potential stable.
Signal transduction reactions: In some cases, chloride ions can participate in
signal transduction reactions in cells, affecting cell activities such as muscle
contractions or hormone secretion
 The Sodium ion channels
● Sodium channels are protein structures on cell membranes that have the ability to regulate
the flow of sodium ions into or out of cells:

+ A single polypeptide chain with four repeating units

+ Each repeat probably folds into six transmembrane helices
+ The loops between helices 5 and 6 of each domain form the pore of the channel

● Therefore, cells have the ability to generate and spread nerve impulses, helping the body
function normally.

● Sodium channels are protein structures on cell membranes that

have the ability to regulate the flow of sodium ions into or out of cells:

+ A single polypeptide chain with four repeating units

+ Each repeat probably folds into six transmembrane helices
+ The loops between helices 5 and 6 of each domain form the pore of
the channel

● Therefore, cells have the ability to generate and spread nerve

impulses, helping the body function normally.
 How does the Sodium ion channel work?
Voltage-Gated Na+ Nerve impulse
ion channel enhancement Phase

Nerve impulse activate Generating nerve

Na+ ion channels impulses

The sodium ion channel is an example

of a Voltage - Gated channel

Voltage-Gated Na+ Ion Channels: Na+ ion channels are typically voltage-gated
channels, meaning they open or close based on changes in the charge of the cell
membrane. When a nerve impulse approaches a Na+ ion channel, this change in
charge triggers the channel to open.
Nerve Impulses Activate Na+ Ion Channels: When a nerve impulse (electrical
signal) passes through a cell membrane, it activates a Na+ ion channel located
near the origin of the nerve impulse. When the Na+ ion channel opens, Na+ ions
from outside the cell will flow into the cell.
Nerve Impulse Enhancement Phase: Large amounts of Na+ ions flood into the
cell, increasing the electrical charge inside the cell, creating a positive electrical
impulse (often called an action pulse). This pulse of action continues to propagate
along the cell route and activates other Na+ and K+ ion channels on the next cell
segment.
Generating Nerve Impulses: Action impulses generated by Na+ ion channels
spread through nerve cells, helping to transmit messages from one nerve cell to
another.
The sentence "The Sodium Channel Is an Example of a Voltage-Gated
Channel" is said because the Na+ (Sodium) channel is a typical example of a
type of voltage-regulated channel, specifically a channel that opens and closes
based on changes in voltage. electric charge across the cell membrane. When
there is a change in electrical charge across the cell membrane, for example
when the cell membrane potential is increased (activated), Na+ channels open to
allow Na+ ions to enter the cell. This creates an action potential and contributes to
the transmission of nerve impulses.
 Potassium ion channel

The potassium channel, composed of four identical subunits, is cone shaped, with the
larger opening facing the inside of the cell:
+ The relations of the individual subunits
+ One of the four identical subunits of the pore, with the pore-forming region.

Potassium channels are homologous to the Sodium channel

When it is said that "Potassium Channels Are Homologous to the Sodium

Channel," this implies that the potassium ion channel (K+) and the sodium ion
channel (Na+) are homologous, meaning they have the same evolutionary
origin and share share a similar basic structure.
Although K+ and Na+ ion channels have distinct functions and characteristics,
they are known to have a homologous relationship because they share some
structural features and operating principles in common. For example, both
types of channels are membrane-level ion channels, capable of opening and
closing based on membrane potential, and are involved in the transmission of
nerve impulses and the regulation of membrane potential in cells.
The homologous relationship between K+ and Na+ ion channels provides the
basis for studying and better understanding the structure and function of ion
channels in cells, helping to increase knowledge of basic biological processes
and develop treatments based on ion circuits.
 The structure of potassium channel reveals the
basis of rapid ion flow

The structure of this channel consists of 4 identical subunits. Each of them

contains 2 membranes Alpha helices. These four subunits come together to
form larger opening inside of the cell.

At the potassium travels, the cavity becomes smaller, the potassium loses ít
solvation cage and form polar interactions with amino acids.

About ⅔ of the central cavity is filled with water. Therefore, it does not lose
solvation cage of water.
 The structure of potassium channel reveals the basis
of rapid ion flow

Can larger and smaller ions go through the potassium channel?

Large ions are rejected by the potassium channel because they cannot pass
into the small passageway. And the smaller ones are the similar. Because they
cannot form stable interactions with the amino acids.
 Ball and chain inactivation
● Ball and chain inactivation is a model to explain
the fast inactivation mechanism of voltage-gated
ion channels
● A voltage-gated ion channel can be in three
states: open, closed, or inactivated.
● The inactivated state is mainly achieved
through fast inactivation, by which a channel
transitions rapidly from an open to an inactivated
state.
● The blockage is caused by a "ball" of amino
acids connected to the main protein by a string of
residues on the cytoplasmic side of the
membrane

Ball and chain inactivation usually happens in sodium and potassium

channels.
 Ball and chain inactivation
+ When the channel opens, the ball quickly
finds a complementary site in the pore and
occludes it.
+ Hence, the channel opens for only a brief
interval before it undergoes inactivation by
occlusion.
+ Shortening the chain speeds inactivation
because the ball finds its target more
quickly.
+ Conversely, lengthening the chain slows
inactivation. Thus, the duration of the
open state can be controlled by the length
and flexibility of the tether.

A first clue to the mechanism of inactivation came from exposing the

cytoplasmic side of either channel to trypsin; cleavage by trypsin produced a
trimmed channel that stayed persistently open after depolarization.
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