Ion channel are sensitive to gravity changes
Abstract
The effects of gravity on alamethicin doped planar lipid bilayers and on reconstituted porins of Escherichia coli outer membrane, respectively, have been investigated in this paper. The aim of the study was to find out whether and how gravity influences the highly simplified system: membrane-ion channel, in order to provide a novel approach to the explanation of gravity effects on living systems. This is necessary, as even single cells can react to gravity changes without having perceptive organelles. The mechanism of this detection is not clear yet. One possibility might be the detection of gravity by the membrane itself, or by the interaction of integral membrane proteins with gravity.
- Publication:
-
Microgravity Science and Technology
- Pub Date:
- March 2001
- DOI:
- 10.1007/BF02873330
- Bibcode:
- 2001MicST..13...35G