Final answer:
The technique used to study individual ion channels is the patch-clamp, which detects ion flows and changes in membrane potential due to activity of voltage-gated, ligand-gated, or mechanically-gated ion channels.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to methods used to study individual ion channels within biological membranes. Among the listed options, patch-clamp is the correct technique for studying the ion movements that create action potentials in cells. This sophisticated method enables the detection of ion flow through gated ion channels, either voltage-gated, ligand-gated, or mechanically-gated, and measures the associated changes in membrane potential.
During the patch-clamp process, an electrical stimulation can open Na channels as Na+ ions rush into the cell, which depolarizes the membrane, potentially leading to an action potential. This influx is followed by the opening of voltage-gated K+ channels and the efflux of K+ ions that restore the resting potential. Patch-clamp devices record these ion movements, the opening and closing of ion channels, and the changes in the membrane potential they cause.
Key Concepts in Ion Channel Function:
- Membrane depolarization: A decrease in the potential across the cellular membrane due to an influx of Na+ ions.
- Membrane hyperpolarization: An increase in the potential across the cellular membrane generally due to an influx of K+ ions.
- Ion leakage: The random movement of ions such as K+ across the membrane through leakage channels, influencing the resting potential.