General molecular structure of ion channel Transmembrane components. Can someone

Question

General molecular structure of ion channel Transmembrane components. Can someone explain the following statements in detail

K+ channels: span the membrane 2,4,6 times or 2 pore: 4 subunits come together to make a functional channel

Na+and Ca2+ channels: 4 repeat motifs with 6 membrane spanning regions each (total: 24 transmembrane segments)

I have included an image that followed with the statements

(A) Na+ CHANNEL (B) Ca2+ CHANNEL IV subunit IV subunit subunit K'CHANNELS (C) Ky and HERG (D) Inward rectifier Ca2-activated (F) 2-P (G) CI- CHANNEL subunit NEUROSCIENCE Se, Figure 4.6 2012 Sinauer Associates, Inc.

Explanation / Answer

Transmembrane protein means a protein that is spanned across the membrane. Many channels which transport ions have transmembrane regions that create suitable environment for these ions to pass.

For K+ channels, there might two such transmembrane chains or 4 or 6. It also might be that a K+ channel work as dimer, units of two, having two pores(passages for ions) each made by 4 such transmembrane chains.

N+ and Ca 2+ channels have 4 motifs (4 structural components) where each such structural component might be made of 6 transmembrane chains.

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