Ion channels are a large family of integral, pore-forming membrane proteins, typically formed by multi-subunits, and exist in the membranes of all cells. Upon stimulating by chemical or mechanical signals, ion channels open or close to allow ions to move into or out of the cell. An ion passing through the channel pore generates electrical signals which can be monitored using electrophysiological methods.
There are several types of ion channels, for example, sodium, potassium and calcium channels, which are involved in a wide variety of biological processes. In addition, dysfunction of ion channels can lead to various diseases. These features make ion channels important therapeutic targets for treating a number of diseases. Although the discovery of drugs targeting ion channels is difficult, with the improvement in methodologies such as cell-based high throughput screening (HTS), there is an opportunity to characterize and identify promising channel drug targets.
