Ion channels are pore-forming membrane proteins that selectively facilitate the rapid, passive movement of specific ions across various cell membranes and play an important role in many of our organ systems. In the Human Protein Atlas, the voltage-gated ion channels are represented by more than 100 genes from nine different subcategories based on their selectivity and the ions they conduct.

Ion channels play an important role in the cellular functions of many of our organ systems by modulating intracellular signaling pathways involved in neuronal activity, muscle contraction, cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Dysfunction of ion channels can be both inherited and acquired and are associated with many different types of diseases.

The class of voltage-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins forming ion channels selectively permeable to the major physiological ions - Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Cl-. These channels play a pivotal role in neuronal function by assisting in the generation and propagation of electrical signals and their malfunction commonly leads to disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) or musculoskeletal system like seizures and myotonia.

In the Human Protein Atlas more than 100 voltage-gated ion channel proteins from nine subclasses are presented with IHC images from a large set of tissues together with information about tissue specificity and subcellular location based on both RNA seq and protein data. Look at a protein class summary here or explore your favorite proteins on the Atlas gene pages.