By Frances M. Ashcroft

Ion channels are membrane proteins that act as gated pathways for the stream of ions throughout mobile membranes. They play crucial roles within the body structure of all cells. lately, an ever-increasing variety of human and animal illnesses were came upon to consequence from defects in ion channel functionality. every one of these ailments come up from mutations within the genes encoding ion channel proteins, and they're now known as the channelopathies.Ion Channels and affliction offers an informative and up to date account of our current knowing of ion channels and the molecular foundation of ion channel illnesses. It incorporates a easy advent to the proper facets of molecular biology and biophysics and a quick description of the crucial tools used to check channelopathies. for every channel, the connection among its molecular constitution and its practical homes is mentioned and ways that genetic mutations produce the illness phenotype are thought of. This e-book is meant for examine employees and clinicians, in addition to graduates and complicated undergraduates. The textual content is apparent and vigorous and assumes little wisdom, but it takes the reader to frontiers of what's at present recognized approximately this most fun and medically vital region of body structure. Key gains* Introduces the correct features of molecular biology and biophysics* Describes the crucial equipment used to check channelopathies* Considers unmarried periods of ion channels with summaries of the physiological position, subunit composition, molecular constitution and chromosomal situation, plus the connection among channel constitution and serve as* appears at these illnesses linked to faulty channel constructions and legislation, together with mutations affecting channel functionality and to what volume this modification in channel functionality can account for the scientific phenotype