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Traditionally, nanopore research relies on electrical measurements to study the passage of materials, and these methods have been instrumental in understanding how various chemical species, including ions, small molecules, and polymers, interact with nanopores. However, it appears there are situations when certain molecules pass through nanopores without producing any detectable electrical signature, thus leaving no […]

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children, poses a significant challenge in pediatric oncology due to its aggressive metastatic behavior and drug resistance. Despite many advancements, RMS, especially in its advanced stages, lacks effective therapeutic strategies. The rarity of this disease (approximately 350 cases per year in North America) does not help […]

Malignant Migrating Partial Seizure of Infancy (MMPSI) is a severe, rare form of infantile epilepsy characterized by pharmacoresistant seizures and significant cognitive impairments. This devastating neurological disorder typically manifests within the first six months of life, often leading to profound developmental delays and, in 25% of cases, mortality within the first year. Sadly, to date, […]

Brugada Syndrome (BrS) is a rare, inherited cardiac arrhythmia often leading to syncope or cardiac arrest due to ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation. Primarily affecting young individuals without apparent heart structural issues, BrS can lead to fatal outcomes, often striking unexpectedly during rest or sleep. The hallmark of BrS is an abnormal ST segment elevation on […]

β-adrenergic receptor antagonists (β-blockers) are common medications for heart diseases like hypertension and heart failure. One of these β-blockers, carvedilol, has proven particularly effective in the treatment of heart failure, although the mechanisms responsible for this are controversial. Similar to other β-blockers, the primary action of carvedilol is to counter the excessive stimulating effects of […]

The importance of being able to quickly and accurately analyse cellular behaviour cannot be overstated. There are many key areas where this field of research makes the most vital difference today (and countless applications within each). Let us highlight some of them.     The first is biomedical research where the study of cells contributes […]

The discovery of PIEZO channels in 2010 marked a turning point in mechanobiology research, leading numerous teams to study the role of these channels in various physiological and pathological processes. Since then, numerous publications have confirmed the key role of PIEZO channels in mechanosensitivity across species. Dysfunctions in Piezo1 and Piezo2 have been found to […]

For years, the chloride intracellular channel protein 6 (CLIC6) has been a protein of mystery. Recognized for its association with various cancers and interactions with dopamine receptors, CLIC6’s role as an ion channel remained elusive, with conflicting evidence from different studies. CLIC6 is part of the distinctive family of non-canonical chloride intracellular channels (CLICs) exhibiting […]

There are probably no people in the world nowadays who haven’t heard about the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, an abbreviation for “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2.” This global pandemic, which began in 2019, has claimed millions of lives and disrupted the socio-economic fabric of societies worldwide. The capacity of SARS-CoV-2 […]

Efficient and targeted sperm motility is crucial for the reproductive success of animals. To regulate their motility, sperm cells utilize a highly conserved signaling pathway involving several steps: hyperpolarization of the flagellar membrane, alkalinization of the sperm cytosol, increased cAMP production, and subsequent activation of the CatSper Ca2+ channel driving chemotaxis. In this pathway, alkalinization […]

Plants, like all organisms, require energy to grow. They obtain this energy by converting light into a usable chemical form through photosynthesis, producing carbohydrates such as sucrose. This sucrose, the primary product of photosynthesis, is then transported to non-photosynthetic sink organs (e.g., flowers, seeds, and roots) to support their growth and development. Efficient transport of […]

Cannabis, often referred to as marijuana, has been utilized by humans for thousands of years for medical purposes … and beyond. You’ve probably heard of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, that same well-known psychoactive component of marijuana that makes people feel ‘high’) and cannabidiol (CBD), a major phytocannabinoid which has proven to be such an effective anticonvulsant that […]

The aquatic environment is rich in bacteria, and therefore fish have developed a variety of defense strategies to protect themselves from potential bacterial threats. For example, fish have a slimy mucus layer covering their skin, which serves as a physical barrier against bacteria. Fish also produce small proteins called antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in their mucus […]

Mutations or variants in the voltage-gated sodium channel SCN2A (NaV1.2) have been associated with various neurodevelopmental disorders. The existing paradigm suggests that gain-of-function (GoF) SCN2A variants lead to neonatal-onset epilepsy, while loss-of-function (LoF) variants are linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID). In the recent study, Thompson et al. challenge this binary […]

September is Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month! We at Nanion Technologies would like to take this opportunity to emphasize the importance of research on this serious medical condition and to highlight the recent work done by researchers from the University of Göttingen. Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common types of cardiac arrhythmias. It’s a […]

Despite the fact that the normal body temperature hovers around 37°C, most electrophysiological studies on ion channel function are conducted at room temperature, typically ranging from 18°C to 25°C. While such a temperature is absolutely physiological for some channels (such as those located at nerve endings in the skin), it is certainly not the case […]

In recent years, TMEM175 has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. This lysosomal ion channel has been shown to play an essential role in maintaining lysosomal pH and function. Although originally identified as a potassium leak channel, recent studies suggest that TMEM175 is, in fact, a proton-activated, proton-selective channel. […]

Proton-dependent oligopeptide transporters play a vital role in allowing a variety of dietary peptides and orally taken peptidomimetic drugs to enter cells. Given their clinical and pathophysiological significance, these transporters are extensively studied nowadays, yet the exact way they recognize and transport different types of peptides is not completely understood. In a very recent study […]