• International Journal of Control, Automation, and Systems
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.23-38
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• 2004

We proposed the infinity control principle to evaluate the Biological function. The H infinity control was applied to the Sodium (Na) ion selective gating channel on the excitable cellular membrane of the neural system. The channel opening, closing and inactivation processes were expressed by movements of three gates and one inactivation blocking particle in the channel pore. The rate constants of the channel state transition were set to be voltage dependent. The temporal changes in amounts per unit membrane area of the channel states were expressed by means of eight differential equations. The biochemical mimetic used to complete the Na ion selective channel was regarded as noise. The control inputs for ejecting the blocking particle with plugging in the channel pore were set for the active transition from inactivated states to a closed or open state. By applying the H infinity control, we computed temporal changes in the channel states, observers, control inputs and the worst case noises. The present paper will be available for evaluating the noise filtering function of the biological signal transmission system.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.882-890
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• 2004

Gap junction is a membrane structure facilitating the direct transmission of several ions and small molecules between two cells. It is also called an 'intercellular channel' to distinguish it from other well-known cellular channels (e.g. sodium and potassium channels). Gap junction channels are not passive conduits, rather the ion channels modulated by several stimuli including pH, calcium ion, voltage, and a chemical modification (mainly known as phosphorylation). Among them, the effects of voltage on the gating of gap junction channels have been well studied. Gap junction channels are more sensitive to the transjunctional potential ($V_j$) between two cells rather than the membrane potential($V_m$) between inside and outside the cell. In this review, I will summarize the general properties of gap junction channel and discuss the gating mechanism for the gap channels.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.131-142
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• 2003

We have studied mutant forms of Kir2.1 in which an aspartate residue (D172), important for gating by intracellular polyamines, is replaced by one of three basic residues (Arg, Lys or His). Such channels are highly selective for $K^+$, but show inward rectification that is a shallow function of voltage compared with that found in wild type. This inward rectification occurs with a reduced affinity for spermine and persists in the absence of polyamines. Though the unitary current-voltage relation shows some inward rectification, it is insufficient to account for that seen under whole cell recording. Channels open and shut under single channel recording, and changes of $P_{open}$ appear to generate inward rectification. In D172H, the reduction in affinity for spermine is greater when His is protonated at low $pH_i$. The effective valency for spermine is reduced from $3.09{\pm}0.07$ in wild type to $1.95{\pm}0.09$ in D172H at $pH_i$ 6.3. In the presence of dual mutants of Kir2.1, where E224 is also replaced, spermine affinity becomes undetectable. However, channels still show inward rectification and open and shut under hyper- and depolarisation, respectively. We suggest that Kir2.1 channel are able to undergo conformation changes; these changes may be important physiologically in generating inward rectification, the normal parameters of which are set by the binding of polyamines such as spermine.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.267-273
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• 2003

We have investigated the effect on inducing substate(s) of positively charged residues replaced in position 172 of the second transmembrane domain in murine inward rectifier potassium channels, formed by stable or transient transfection of Kir2.1 gene in MEL or CHO cells. Single channel recordings were obtained from either cell-attached patches or inside-out patches excised into solution containing 10 mM EDTA to rule out the effect of $Mg^{2+}$ on the channel gating. The substate(s) could be recorded with all mutants D172H, D172K and D172R. The unitary current-voltage (I-V) relation was not linear with D172H at $pH_i$ 6.3, whereas the unitary I-V relation was linear at $pH_i$ 8.0. The relative occupancy at $S_{LC}$ was increased from 0.018 at $pH_i$ 8.0 to 0.45 at $pH_i$ 5.5. In H-N dimer, that was increased from 0.016 at $pH_i$ 8.0 to 0.23 at $pH_i$ 5.5. The larger the size of the side chain or $pK_a$ with mutants (D172H, D172K and D172R), the more frequent the transitions between the fully open state and substate within an opening. The conductance of the substate also depended upon the pKa or the size of the side chain. The relative occupancy at substate $S_{LC}$ with monomer D172K (0.50) was less than that in K-H dimer (0.83). However, the relative occupancy at substate with D172R (0.79) was similar to that with R-N dimer (0.82). In the contrary to ROMK1, positive charge as well as negative charge in position 172 can induce the substate rather than block the pore in murine Kir2.1. The single channel properties of the mutant, that is, unitary I-V relation, the voltage dependence of the mean open time and relative occupancy of the substates and the increased latency to the first opening, explain the intrinsic gating observed in whole cell recordings.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2006

Gap junction is an ion channel forming between adjacent cells. It also acts as a membrane channel like sodium or potassium channels in a single cell. The amino acid residues up to the $10^{th}$ position in the amino (N)-terminus of gap junction hemichannel affect gating polarity as well as current-voltage (I-V) relation. While wild-type Cx32 channel shows negative gating polarity and inwardly rectifying I-V relation, T8D channel in which threonine residue at $8^{th}$ position is replaced with negatively charged aspartate residue shows reverse gating polarity and linear I-V relation. It is still unclear whether these changes are resulted from the charge effect or the conformational change of the N-terminus. To clarify this issue, we made a mutant channel harboring cysteine residue at the $8^{th}$ position (T8C) and characterized its biophysical properties using substituted-cysteine accessibility method (SCAM). T8C channel shows negative gating polarity and inwardly rectifying I-V relation as wild-type channel does. This result indicates that the substitution of cysteine residue dose not perturb the original conformation of wild-type channel. To elucidate the charge effect two types of methaenthiosulfonate (MTS) reagents (negatively charged $MTSES^-$ and positively charged $MTSET^+$) were used. When $MTSES^-$ was applied, T8C channel behaved as T8D channel, showing positive gating polarity and linear I-V relation. This result indicates that the addition of a negative charge changes the biophysical properties of T8C channel. However, positively charged $MTSET^+$ maintained the main features of T8C channel as expected. It is likely that the addition of a charge by small MTS reagents does not distort the conformation of the N-terminus. Therefore, the opposite effects of $MTSES^-$ and $MTSETT^+$ on T8C channel suggest that the addition of a charge itself rather than the conformational change of the N-terminus changes gating polarity and I-V relation. Furthermore, the accessibility of MTS reagents to amino acid residues at the $8^{th}$ position supports the idea that the N-terminus of gap junction channel forms or lies in the aqueous pore.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.329-339
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• 2021

Ion channels are important targets of anthelmintic agents. In this study, we identified 3 types of ion channels in Ascaris suum tissue incorporated into planar lipid bilayers using an electrophysiological technique. The most frequent channel was a large-conductance cation channel (209 pS), which accounted for 64.5% of channels incorporated (n=60). Its open-state probability (P_o) was ~0.3 in the voltage range of -60~+60 mV. A substate was observed at 55% of the main-state. The permeability ratio of Cl^- to K⁺ (P_Cl/P_K) was ~0.5 and P_Na/P_K was 0.81 in both states. Another type of cation channel was recorded in 7.5% of channels incorporated (n=7) and discriminated from the large-conductance cation channel by its smaller conductance (55.3 pS). Its Po was low at all voltages tested (~0.1). The third type was an anion channel recorded in 27.9% of channels incorporated (n=26). Its conductance was 39.0 pS and P_Cl/P_K was 8.6±0.8. P_o was ~1.0 at all tested potentials. In summary, we identified 2 types of cation and 1 type of anion channels in Ascaris suum. Gating of these channels did not much vary with voltage and their ionic selectivity is rather low. Their molecular nature, functions, and potentials as anthelmintic drug targets remain to be studied further.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.759-763
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• 2016

We demonstrate the utilization of ion gel gate dielectrics for operating non-volatile transistor memory devices based on polymer semiconductor thin films. The gating process in typical electrolyte-gated polymer transistors occurs upon the penetration and escape of ionic components into the active channel layer, which dopes and dedopes the polymer film, respectively. Therefore, by controlling doping and dedoping processes, electrical current signals through the polymer film can be memorized and erased over a period of time, which constitutes the transistor-type memory devices. It was found that increasing the thickness of polymer films can enhance the memory performance of device including (i) the current signal ratio between its memorized state and erased state and (ii) the retention time of the signal.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.543-553
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• 1992

Properties of unitary ATP-sensitive $K^+$ channels were studied using planar lipid bilayer technique. Vesicles were prepared from bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) skeletal muscle. ATP-sensitive $K^+$ (K (ATP)) channels were identified by their unitary conductance and sensitivity to ATP. In the symmetrical solution containing 200mM KCI, 10mM Hepes, 1mM EGTA and pH 7.2, single K (ATP) channels showed a linear current-voltage relations with slight inward rectification. Slope conductance at reversal potential was $60.1{\pm}0.43$ pS(n=3)). Micromolar ATP reversibly inhibited the channel activity when applied to the cytoplasmic side. In the range of -50~＋50 mV, the channel activity was not voltage-dependent, but the channel gating within a burst was more frequent at negative voltage range. Varying the concentrations of external/internal KCl(mM) to 40/200, 200/200, 200/100 and 200/40 shifted reversal potentials to $-30.8{\pm}2.9$(n=3), $-1.1{\pm}2.7$(n=3), 10.5 and 30.6(mV), respecrivety. These reversal potentials were close to the expected values by the Nernst equation, indicating nearly ideal selectivity for $K^+$ over $Cl^-$. Under bi-ionic conditions of 200mM external test ions and 200mM internal $K^+$, the reversal potentials for each test ion/K pair were measured. The measured reversal potentials were used for the calculation of the releative permeability of alkali cations to $K^+$ ions using the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz equation. The permeability sequence of 5 cations relative to $K^+$ was $K^+$(1), $Rb^+$(0.49), $Cs^+$(0.27), $Na^+$(0.027) and $Li^+$(0.021). This sequence was recognized as Eisenman's selectivity sequence IV. In addition, modelling the permeation of $K^+$ ion through ATP-sensitive $K^+$ channel revealed that a 3-barrier 2-site multiple occupancy model can reasonably predict the observed current-voltage relations.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.62-66
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• 2018

A-type $K^+$ ($I_A$) channels are transiently activated in the suprathreshold membrane potential and then rapidly inactivated. These channels play roles to control the neuronal excitability in pyramidal neurons in hippocampi. We here electrophysiologically tested if regulatory functions of $I_A$ channels might be targeted by acute activation of glutamatergic synaptic transmission in cultured hippocampal neurons(DIV 6~8). The application of high KCl in recording solutions(10 mM, 2 min) to increase presynaptic glutamate release, significantly reduced the peak of somatic $I_A$ without changes of gating kinetics. This indicates that neuronal excitation induced by the enhancement of synaptic transmission may process with distinctive signaling cascades to affect voltage-dependent ion channels in hippocampal neurons. Therefore, it is possible that short-lasting enhancement of synaptic transmission is functionally restricted in local synapses without effects on intracellular signaling cascades affecting a whole neuron, efficiently and rapidly enhancing synaptic functions in hippocampal network.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.369-374
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• 2021

Brown blotch disease of oyster mushrooms is caused by tolaasin and its analog peptide toxins which are produced by Pseudomonas tolaasii. Tolaasin peptides form pores in the plasma membrane and destroy the fruiting body structure of mushroom. Lysis of red blood cells, hemolysis, can be occurred by cytotoxic activity of tolaasin. The hemolytic activity of tolaasin is inhibited by metal ions, such as Zn²⁺ and Ni²⁺. When Gadolinium ion was added, a biphasic effect was observed on tolaasin-induced hemolysis, an increase in hemolysis at submillimolar concentrations and an inhibition at millimolar concentrations. The mechanism of gadolinium ion-induced inhibition of tolaasin activity may not be similar to those of the inhibitions by other metal ions. Since gadolinium ion has been reported to change a lateral pressure of lipid membrane by binding to the negative charges of membrane lipids, it may not directly work on the tolaasin channel gating, but rather decrease the stability of tolaasin channel by increasing firmness of membrane.