Summary
Voltage-gated ion channels shape electrical signaling in the excitable cells of nerve and muscle. Sodium (NaV) and calcium channels (CaV) drive membrane depolarization and activate second messenger pathways via gated cellular entry of their namesake ions. In skeletal and cardiac cells, CaV channels trigger muscle contraction. Voltage-gated potassium channels (KV) allow the release of potassium ions from within the cell to drive membrane repolarization. In concert, these channels provide the molecular foundation for thought, perception, and contraction. High-resolution protein structures of hum
