PHYS 23 |
| The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is a large channel protein that is embedded in the nuclear membrane and mediates the transport of biomacromolecules between the nucleus and cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells. We have been studying molecular transport through the NPC channels by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). SECM offers several important advantages over electrophysiological techniques in the NPC study. SECM allows non-destructive and selective detection of molecular transport through the channel. All experiments were carried out with an intact nucleus to obtain quantitative data. An array of 150 channels was studied by SECM to demonstrate that the single channel current and channel pore diameter are so large that a single NPC detection will be possible using the SECM principle. A recent effort toward single channel recording of the NPC will be also presented. |
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Biological Ion Channels: From Molecular Structure to Cellular Function
8:15 AM-12:00 PM, Sunday, August 19, 2007 BCEC -- 157B, Oral
Division of Physical Chemistry |