Biological membranes are tricky to investigate. They are complex in terms of molecular
composition and structure, functional over a wide range of time scales, and characterized by …

Membrane ion channels are the fundamental electrical components in the nervous system.
Recent developments in X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM microscopy have revealed what …

Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels control synaptic neurotransmission by converting
chemical signals into electrical signals. Agonist binding leads to rapid signal transduction …

The discovery of receptor-receptor interactions (RRI) has expanded our understanding of
the role that G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play in intercellular communication. The …

Glycine receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that mediate synaptic inhibition throughout
the mammalian spinal cord, brainstem, and higher brain regions. They have recently …

The pentameric ligand-gated ion channel (pLGIC) from Gloeobacter violaceus (GLIC) has
provided insightful structure–function views on the permeation process and the allosteric …

Neurosteroids are endogenous sterols that potentiate or inhibit pentameric ligand-gated ion
channels (pLGICs) and can be effective anesthetics, analgesics, or anti-epileptic drugs. The …

Ion channel modulation by general anesthetics is a vital pharmacological process with
implications for receptor biophysics and drug development. Functional studies have …

Ligand-gated ion channels are critical mediators of electrochemical signal transduction
across evolution. Biophysical and pharmacological characterization of these receptor …

Ligand-gated ion channels conduct currents in response to chemical stimuli, mediating
electrochemical signaling in neurons and other excitable cells. For many channels, the …