Receptors and functional linkage in membrane permeability: A quantum mechanical model (Q1087486)

This paper presents a quantum mechanical model of functional linkage in the case of ligands moving through lipid bilayers and hydrophilic transmembrane channels, which are modelled as energy surfaces consisting of piecewise-constant potential regions. The centre-of-mass wavefunction for a ligand on such energy surfaces is analyzed and the permeability coefficients are calculated. It is found that several receptor sites can functionally link to facilitate the passage of the ligands. The resulting ligand flux equals or exceeds the classically expected one.