The human brain is a vast network of billions of biological cells called neurons which fires electrical signals that process information, resulting in our senses and thoughts. The ion channels of atomic scale in each neuron cell membrane play a key role in such firings that open and close the ion flow in an individual cell by the electrical voltage applied across the cell membrane, acting as a ‘biological transistor’ similar to electronic transistors in computers. For decades, scientists have learned that biological ion channels are life’s transistors capable to gate extremely fast and precisely selective permeation of ions through the atomic-scale selectivity filters to maintain vital living functions. However, it remains a grand challenge to date to produce artificial structures to mimic such biological systems for fundamental understanding and practical applications.
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Source: Phys.org