Force and Ion Channels (IMAGE)

University of California - San Diego

Force and Ion Channels

Caption

Inside the cell, calcium ions are released from a structure called the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Forces applied to the bead cause ion channels in the ER to open mechanically (shown in red above), rather through biochemical signaling chemically (shown in green below).

Credit

Jie Sun/UC San Diego

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Please credit Jie Sun/UC San Diego

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