Tracking the Propagation of Individual Ions Through Ion Channels with Nano-MOSFETs

As the size of semiconductor devices shrink they become of comparative size to many biologically important molecules such as Ion Channel Proteins. We demonstrate that it is possible to use nano-scale MOSFETs as a sensors capable of detecting individual conduction events in small biological pores. In addition, the nano-MOSFET is capable of resolving the position of ions in the pore protein during the permeation. Therefore closely coupling nano-transistors to ion channels embedded in membranes it may become possible to detect individual ion permeation events and thus better understand the mechanisms by which ions are selected and conducted through biological membranes.