AN EVALUATION OF SIGNAL AMPLIFICATION BY THE ION CHANNEL SEBSIR BASED ON A GLUTAMATE RECEPTOR ION CHANNEL PROTEIN

Abstract

An attempt was made for the evaluation of signal amplification by the ion channel sensor based on a glutamate receptor ion channel protein as a sensory element. The molecular response ratio, defined as the capability of each sensory molecule to induce a change in the number of ions permeated through the membrane, was calculated to be 1.9× 10⁷(per second) for the single-channel sensor. The extremely high sensitivity as compared with that of the artificial systems was discussed in terms of the signal amplification indicated by the molecular response ratio.