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Ball-and-Chain Inactivation of Ion Channels Visualized by Cryo-Electron Microscopy

Ball-and-Chain Inactivation of Ion Channels Visualized by Cryo-Electron Microscopy

Ion channels, which allow potassium and sodium ions to flow in and out of cells, are crucial in neuronal ‘firing’ in the central nervous system and for brain and heart function. These channels use a “ball-and-chain” mechanism to help regulate their ion flow, according to a new study led by Weill Cornell Medicine scientists. The study, published March 18 in…

Dr. Olga Boudker’s Work with Glutamate Pumps Earns her Membership in an Elite Cadre of Investigators

Dr. Olga Boudker’s Work with Glutamate Pumps Earns her Membership in an Elite Cadre of Investigators

Dr. Olga Boudker. Photo credit: John Abbott When a scientist is named a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, he or she joins the ranks of the most renowned biomedical researchers in the United States. These 330 or so explorers and innovators — among them 182 National Academy of Science members and 24 Nobel laureates — work to answer essential questions about such…