Abstract

Ion channels play key roles in the generation and propagation of nerve impulses by mediating ionic fluxes across excitable membranes. Elucidation of the structure and function of these proteins is a major goal in understanding the molecular mechanisms of membrane excitability. Much work has focused on sodium channels, whose activity is of primary importance in producing nerve impulses. Despite the recent cloning and sequencing of a sodium channel structural gene, many unanswered questions remain. To address some of these question genetically, Drosophila mutants with altered sodium channels are being isolated and subjected to multidisciplinary analyses. Ultimately, these can provide novel approaches for understanding the function and regulation of sodium channels at a molecular level.