The role of ion channels in cell proliferation

Significant progress has been made in identifying physiologically important growth factors, receptors, and signal transduction pathways involved in the control of normal and malignant cell proliferation. More recent studies suggest that changes in the proliferative state of a cell are coupled to specific changes in membrane properties, which suggests that there are links between ion channel activity and cell proliferation in both neuronal and non-neuronal cells. Changes in ion channel expression may be necessary to permit cell cycle progression and, ultimately, cell proliferation. The potential mechanisms involved in the translation of ion channel activity into changes in gene expression are discussed.