Theory 09/Micro to Milli/Ion channels
Gating Is Activation Against Membrane
The claim
Whether an ion channel shapes the membrane response is set by the ratio of its activation time to the membrane time constant, so a slow channel is invisible to fast events.
01Mechanism
A channel must open within the period over which the membrane is integrating; beyond that ratio its current arrives too late.
02Prediction
Effect should track the ratio.
03Refutation
Effect tracking conductance alone would remove timing.