ABSTRACT
The plasma membrane lipid bilayer separates internal and external components of a cell. Lipids, with their intrinsic properties of chemical inertness and electrical insulation, provide a protected environment, which is vital for some of the most crucial cellular functions. Just as important, proteins spanning across the membrane provide a means of communication and transport between the external environment and internal cytoplasm as well as between cells. Ion channels are a diverse family of proteins that lower the free energy required for ions to traverse across the plasma membrane. Ionic flux through ion channels provides the foundation for membrane excitability, which is essential for the proper functioning of cardiac cells, muscle cells, and neurons [1].
