Sodium-Potassium Pump

Sodium-potassium pumps create and maintain electrochemical gradients, pumping potassium ions into the cell and sodium ions out of the cell. The established gradient is a crucial part of sending electrical nerve signals and regulating the osmotic pressure in cells. When the axon of a nerve cell experiences a depolarization in membrane potential, sodium-potassium pumps are responsible for reestablishing the resting potential of the membrane. This allows the axons of nerve cells to be prepared to transmit the next signal.

Since sodium-potassium pumps are partially responsible for the transmission of electrical nerve impulses, one way to represent the protein would be in such a way to resemble a lightning bolt. It might be unique to sculpt the protein with wire and small LED lights in the shape of lightning to represent one of its key functions.

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One Response to Sodium-Potassium Pump

  1. Phil says:

    I get it. Like a string of lights that track the movement of ions through the protein

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