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Roles Of The Ion Channel Nalcn In Neuronal Excitability Control, Boxun Lu
Roles Of The Ion Channel Nalcn In Neuronal Excitability Control, Boxun Lu
Boxun Lu
The resting membrane potential (RMP) of a neuron is set by a complex balance between charged ions, ion channels and transporters. Many of the ion channels have been identified at the molecular level. Missing from the molecular identification has been the voltage-insensitive background sodium ‘‘leak’’ conductance that depolarizes the RMP from the equilibrium potential of potassium and provides a crucial contribution to neuronal excitability One candidate for the molecular identity of this conductance is the protein NALCN. NALCN is a previously uncharacterized orphan member in the sodium/calcium channel family. It is widely expressed in the nervous system. My thesis project …