Ion exchange phase transitions in "doped" water--filled channels

Details Ion exchange phase transitions in "doped" water--filled channels Ion exchange phase transitions in "doped" water--filled channels

2005-10-12

arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0510327v1

Phys. Rev. E 73, 051205 (2006)

Physics

Condensed Matter

Soft Condensed Matter

16 pages, 27 figures

Scientific paper

10.1103/PhysRevE.73.051205

Ion transport through narrow water--filled channels is impeded by a high electrostatic barrier. The latter originates from the large ratio of the dielectric constants of the water and a surrounding media. We show that ``doping'', i.e. immobile charges attached to the walls of the channel, substantially reduces the barrier. This explains why most of the biological ion channels are ``doped''. We show that at rather generic conditions the channels may undergo ion exchange phase transitions (typically of the first order). Upon such a transition a finite latent concentration of ions may either enter or leave the channel, or be exchanged between the ions of different valences. We discuss possible implications of these transitions for the Ca-vs.-Na selectivity of biological Ca channels. We also show that transport of divalent Ca ions is assisted by their fractionalization into two separate excitations.

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