Figure 1.

Ionophore mediated ion transport across the membrane. (A) Small ionophores “ion carriers” bind with ion, shield it from lipophilic interior of membrane, transport it across the membrane and release it other side of membrane. (B) Large ionophores form “ion channels” across the membrane and transport ions through these channels. These channels have a hydrophilic interior which assist in transport of ions while its lipophilic exterior shield ions from repulsive interior of membrane. (C) Polyether ionophores carry ions across membrane by electroneutral, electrogenic and biomimetic methods based on the microenvironmental conditions and structure of ionophore. Panel C was modified from [71].