Electron current recordings in living cells

- Living cells use electricity for a plethora of physiological processes.
- Ion currents in channels and transporters are very well investigated by electrophysiological techniques.
- It is equally possible to record electron currents mediated by specialized redox proteins.

Living cells exploit the electrical properties of matter for a multitude of fundamental physiological processes, such as accumulation of nutrients, cellular homeostasis, signal transmission. While ion channels and transporters (able to couple ions to various substrates) have been extensively studied, direct measurements of electron currents mediated by specific proteins are just at the beginning. Here, we present the various electrophysiological approaches that have allowed recordings of electron currents and highlight the future potential of such experiments.

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