An action potential occurs when the membrane potential of a specific cell rapidly rises and falls. This depolarization then causes adjacent locations to similarly depolarize. Action potentials occur in several types of excitable cells, which include animal cells like neurons and muscle cells, as well as some plant cells. Certain endocrine cells such as pancreatic beta cells, and certain cells of the anterior pituitary gland are also excitable cells.
Voltage-gated ion channels are a class of transmembrane proteins that form ion channels that are activated by changes in a cell's electrical membrane potential near the channel. The membrane potential alters the conformation of the channel proteins, regulating their opening and closing. Cell membranes are generally impermeable to ions, thus they must diffuse through the membrane through transmembrane protein channels.
Sodium channels are integral membrane proteins that form ion channels, conducting sodium ions (Na+) through a cell's membrane. They belong to the superfamily of cation channels.
Sodium channel protein type 4 subunit alpha is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SCN4A gene.
Sodium channel, voltage-gated, type XI, alpha subunit also known as SCN11A or Nav1.9 is a voltage-gated sodium ion channel protein which is encoded by the SCN11A gene on chromosome 3 in humans. Like Nav1.7 and Nav1.8, Nav1.9 plays a role in pain perception. This channel is largely expressed in small-diameter nociceptors of the dorsal root ganglion and trigeminal ganglion neurons, but is also found in intrinsic myenteric neurons.
Potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily A member 2 also known as Kv1.2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the KCNA2 gene.
60S ribosomal protein L14 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the RPL14 gene.
Sodium channel subunit beta-3 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SCN3B gene. Two alternatively spliced variants, encoding the same protein, have been identified.
Sodium channel, voltage-gated, type III, alpha subunit (SCN3A) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SCN3A gene.
Fibroblast growth factor 13 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the FGF13 gene.
Sodium channel protein type 8 subunit alpha also known as Nav1.6 is a membrane protein encoded by the SCN8A gene. Nav1.6 is one sodium channel isoform and is the primary voltage-gated sodium channel at each node of Ranvier. The channels are highly concentrated in sensory and motor axons in the peripheral nervous system and cluster at the nodes in the central nervous system.
The SCNN1D gene encodes for the δ (delta) subunit of the epithelial sodium channel ENaC in vertebrates. ENaC is assembled as a heterotrimer composed of three homologous subunits α, β, and γ or δ, β, and γ. The other ENAC subunits are encoded by SCNN1A, SCNN1B, and SCNN1G.
Potassium voltage-gated channel, Shaw-related subfamily, member 4 (KCNC4), also known as Kv3.4, is a human gene.
Leucine-rich repeat and calponin homology domain-containing protein 4 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the LRCH4 gene.
Nax is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SCN7A gene. It is a sodium channel alpha subunit expressed in the heart, the uterus and in glial cells of mice. It has low similarity to all nine other sodium channel alpha subunits (Nav1.1–1.9).
Potassium voltage-gated channel, Shaw-related subfamily, member 3 also known as KCNC3 or Kv3.3 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the KCNC3.
The evolution of the brain refers to the progressive development and complexity of neural structures over millions of years, resulting in the diverse range of brain sizes and functions observed across different species today, particularly in vertebrates.
Nav1.8 is a sodium ion channel subtype that in humans is encoded by the SCN10A gene.
Ankyrin-3 (ANK-3), also known as ankyrin-G, is a protein from ankyrin family that in humans is encoded by the ANK3 gene.
Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs), also known as voltage-dependent sodium channels (VDSCs), are a group of voltage-gated ion channels found in the membrane of excitable cells (e.g., muscle, glial cells, neurons, etc.) with a permeability to the sodium ion Na+. They are the main channels involved in action potential of excitable cells.
