The aim of this project is study ion channel activities on the inner and outer membranes of mitochondria. Patch clamping will be used to assess channel activity on native mitochondrial membranes and on isolated liposomal membranes into which mitochondrial channel proteins have been reconstituted. These studies will contribute to our understanding of ion movements in the context of mitochondrial function. The regulation of ion movement across mitochondrial membranes is not well understood, but apparently involves several classes of proteins that operate as pumps or as channels. The focus of this work is on channel proteins that facilitate the passive movement of ions across either the inner or outer membrane of the mitochondrion. An electrophysiological technique known as patch clamping will be employed to study the activity of these proteins either in their native membranes, or in a reconstituted artificial membrane system. Patch clamping will be used to assay the ion flux activities through certain channels under a variety of conditions.
