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Ion Channels in Epithelial Cells

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Biological Membrane Ion Channels

Part of the book series: Biological And Medical Physics Biomedical Engineering ((BIOMEDICAL))

Abstract

Ion channels in epithelial cells serve to move ions, and in some cases fluid, between compartments of the body. This function of the transfer of material is fundamentally different from that of the transfer of information, which is the main job of most channels in excitable cells. Nevertheless the basic construction of the channels is similar in many respects in the two tissue types. This chapter reviews the nature of channels in epithelia and discusses how their functions have evolved to accomplish the basic tasks for which they are responsible. I will focus on three channel types: epithelial Na+ channels, inward-rectifier K+ channels, and CFTR Cl– channels.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Medical College of Cornell U., 1300 York Ave., New York, NY, 10021

    Lawrence G. Palmer

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  1. Lawrence G. Palmer
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Res. School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia

    Shin-Ho Chung

  2. Weill Medical College Dept. Physiology, Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10021, USA

    Olaf S. Andersen

  3. Dept. of Elect. & Comp. Engi., University of British Columbia, MacLeod Bulding, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Vikram Krishnamurthy

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Palmer, L.G. (2007). Ion Channels in Epithelial Cells. In: Chung, SH., Andersen, O.S., Krishnamurthy, V. (eds) Biological Membrane Ion Channels. Biological And Medical Physics Biomedical Engineering. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-68919-2_12

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