EBME 417. Excitable Cells: Molecular Mechanisms
TAUGHT WITH EBME 317
Description
Ion channels are the molecular basis of membrane excitability
in all cell types, including neural, heart, and muscle
cells. This course presents the structure and the
mechanism of function of ion channels at the molecular
level. It introduces the basic principles and methods
in the ion channel study including the ionic basis
of membrane excitability, thermodynamic and kinetic
analysis of channel function, voltage clamp and patch
clamp techniques, and molecular and structural biology
approaches. The course will cover structure of various
potassium, calcium, sodium, and chloride channels
and their physiological function in neural, cardiac,
and musclecells. Exemplary channels that have been
best studied willbe discussed to illustrate the current
understanding of themolecular mechanisms of channel
gating and permeation.
Website
http://dek.cwru.edu/bme/courses_dek/courses.htm
Course Goals
Students will gain a basic understanding of how ion
channels work at the molecular level. They will be
able to understand and interpret the phenomena of
bioelectricity in terms of ion channel function.
Prerequisites
College biology, chemistry, calculus
College statistics and biochemistry is a plus
Class/laboratory Schedule
Two 75 minute lectures per week.
Typical Class Size
15
Semesters and Years Offered
Offered fall semester every year.
Computer Usage
Some homeworks require using simple modeling (using
spreadsheet programs, MATLAB or Neuron)
Course Objectives
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