User profiles for Francisco Bezanilla

Francisco Bezanilla

Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology University of Chicago
Verified email at uchicago.edu
Cited by 29135

How membrane proteins sense voltage

F Bezanilla - Nature reviews Molecular cell biology, 2008 - nature.com
The ionic gradients across cell membranes generate a transmembrane voltage that regulates
the function of numerous membrane proteins such as ion channels, transporters, pumps …

Charge movement associated with the opening and closing of the activation gates of the Na channels

CM Armstrong, F Bezanilla - The Journal of general physiology, 1974 - rupress.org
The sodium current (I Na ) that develops after step depolarization of a voltage clamped squid
axon is preceded by a transient outward current that is closely associated with the opening …

Inactivation of the sodium channel. II. Gating current experiments.

CM Armstrong, F Bezanilla - The Journal of general physiology, 1977 - rupress.org
Gating current (Ig) has been studied in relation to inactivation of Na channels. No component
of Ig has the time course of inactivation; apparently little or no charge movement is …

The voltage sensor in voltage-dependent ion channels

F Bezanilla - Physiological reviews, 2000 - journals.physiology.org
In voltage-dependent Na, K, or Ca channels, the probability of opening is modified by the
membrane potential. This is achieved through a voltage sensor that detects the voltage and …

Inactivation of the sodium channel. I. Sodium current experiments

F Bezanilla, CM Armstrong - The Journal of general physiology, 1977 - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Inactivation of sodium conductance has been studied in squid axons with voltage clamp
techniques and with the enzyme pronase which selectively destroys inactivation. Comparison of …

Currents related to movement of the gating particles of the sodium channels

CM Armstrong, F Bezanilla - Nature, 1973 - nature.com
“…IT seems difficult to escape the conclusion that the changes in ionic permeability depend
on the movement of some component of the membrane which behaves as though it had a …

[PDF][PDF] Voltage-sensing residues in the S2 and S4 segments of the Shaker K+ channel

SA Seoh, D Sigg, DM Papazian, F Bezanilla - neuron, 1996 - cell.com
The activation of Shaker K + channels is steeply voltage dependent. To determine whether
conserved charged amino acids in putative transmembrane segments S2, S3, and S4 …

[HTML][HTML] Infrared light excites cells by changing their electrical capacitance

…, K Homma, S Villarreal, CP Richter, F Bezanilla - Nature …, 2012 - nature.com
Optical stimulation has enabled important advances in the study of brain function and other
biological processes, and holds promise for medical applications ranging from hearing …

Destruction of sodium conductance inactivation in squid axons perfused with pronase

CM Armstrong, F Bezanilla, E Rojas - The Journal of General …, 1973 - rupress.org
We have studied the effects of the proteolytic enzyme Pronase on the membrane currents of
voltage-clamped squid axons. Internal perfusion of the axons with Pronase rather selectively …

Negative conductance caused by entry of sodium and cesium ions into the potassium channels of squid axons

F Bezanilla, CM Armstrong - The Journal of General Physiology, 1972 - rupress.org
Internal Cs + , Na + , Li + , and, to a lesser degree, Rb + interfere with outward current through
the K pores in voltage clamped squid axons. Addition of 100 mM NaF to the perfusion …