Understanding the molecular processes by which ionic channels are regulated is central to the understanding of cellular function. Great advances in understanding these regulatory mechanisms have been recently achieved by the combination of several powerful techniques. Development of the patch clamp technique, ability to access the intracellular channels sites, and genetic manipulation of channel structure have allowed studies of channel function in native membranes. Cloning, sequencing and determining the channel structure and its subunits allows further insight into the regulatory mechanisms...