Invertebrate Ion Channels: No. 3 (Neurosignals 2002)

The molecular basis for the generation of the action potential hinges on the biophysical properties of ion channels. Action potential, the basis for neuronal conduction, was first described in an invertebrate. A molecular understanding of invertebrate ion channels will not only lead to a better appreciation of our own system, but will enable to delineate different molecular approaches to solve the common problem of regulated communications. With the advent of genomics, more and more invertebrate genes encoding channels have been and will be isolated. It is timely to have a synopsis for the purpose of comparisons. In this issue, reviews are gathered on ion channels from a wide spectrum of invertebrates: the soil nematode, which has the benefit of genetic analysis; the squid, which has the benefit of a large neuronal preparation; and the ascidians, with their unique evolutionary positions. ‘Invertebrate Ion Channels’ provides a useful view for researchers in the fields of neuroscience, cell biology and physiology of the diverse signalling mechanisms underlying neuronal communication.