Voltage Gated Sodium Channels Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Voltage Gated Sodium Channels?

Voltage Gated Sodium Channels are specialized proteins which are embedded in the walls of cells and facilitate the passage of sodium ions through these cells. The channels open and close depending on certain electrical stimuli, allowing them to work as an important type of cellular communication. Voltage gated sodium channels are responsible for a variety of essential physiological processes, including action potentials in neurons, muscle contraction, hormone secretion, and membrane potential maintenance. In order for sodium ions to move through cell membranes efficiently, special proteins called voltage-gated sodium channels must be present. When a cell is at rest (or polarized), its internal voltage is negative relative to the outside environment. In response to a change in voltage across the membrane (such as when an action potential is generated), these protein channels open and allow sodium ions to move into the cell. This influx of positively charged particles causes further depolarization and contributes to spreading signals throughout the body or initiating other physiological processes such as muscle contraction or hormone secretion. The structure of a typical voltage-gated sodium channel consists of four domains arranged around a central pore where sodium ions can flow through when opened by electrical stimulus. Each domain contains six transmembrane segments (labeled S1S6) that form a loop known as the pore loop which forms part of the central pore itself. Within each domain lies two binding sitesone inside and one outsidewhere various chemicals such as neurotransmitters can interact with specific amino acid residues within each domain’s S5 and S6 segments that help regulate channel opening/closing behavior. Voltage gated sodium channels play an essential role in many physiological processes throughout our bodies by responding quickly to changes in electrical stimulus so that appropriate action can be taken via membrane depolarization or other cellular responses such as hormone release or muscle contraction. Through careful regulation by chemicals like neurotransmitters, these proteins also ensure that only necessary signals make it through cell membranes so that our bodies function properly at all times.