Enhancement of Calcium Ion Permeation via Resonant Coupling of Ion and Terahertz Waves in Voltage Gated Calcium Channels

Dysregulated calcium ion (Ca<sup>2+</sup>) influx is implicated in diverse channelopathies. Terahertz (THz) waves have been explored as a promising approach to modulate the influx, which primarily target resonant interactions with chemical groups in channels. Here, we demonstrate a strategy that directly regulates the motion of confined Ca<sup>2+</sup> ions within the selectivity filter via resonant THz waves. We characterize the ions' axial oscillations, identifying a distinct intrinsic frequency of 1.65 THz and two coherent modes. By tuning a THz electric field to this frequency, we induce a remarkable resonance excitation that lowers the energy barrier between binding sites, achieving a statistically significant enhancement of Ca<sup>2+</sup> permeation in our model. Meanwhile, we show that the degree of coherence is precisely tunable by the resonant THz field and temperature. Furthermore, quantum mechanics analyses reveal transition frequencies and wavefunctions that validate the observed oscillation modes, confirming that the collective motion exhibits discrete quantum eigenstates. Our results introduce a proof-of-concept, ion-targeted strategy for manipulating Ca<sup>2+</sup> permeation and propose a theoretical coherence mechanism for high-flux ions transport. This work advances the understanding of ion channel physics via a mechanism-oriented framework that lays the groundwork for exploring novel bio-electromagnetic modulation.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Science
Published
2026-02-19
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202520475
Primary Topic
Terahertz technology and applications
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Enhancement of Calcium Ion Permeation via Resonant Coupling of Ion and Terahertz Waves in Voltage Gated Calcium Channels

Z. Z. Zhang, Yuankun Sun, Sunchao Huang, Yubin Gong et al.
Advanced Science
Terahertz technology and applications
article

Enhancement of Calcium Ion Permeation via Resonant Coupling of Ion and Terahertz Waves in Voltage Gated Calcium Channels

Z. Z. Zhang, Yuankun Sun, Sunchao Huang, Yubin Gong, Xinqiao Zhou, Shengpeng Yang, Shaomeng Wang
article en

Abstract

Dysregulated calcium ion (Ca<sup>2+</sup>) influx is implicated in diverse channelopathies. Terahertz (THz) waves have been explored as a promising approach to modulate the influx, which primarily target resonant interactions with chemical groups in channels. Here, we demonstrate a strategy that directly regulates the motion of confined Ca<sup>2+</sup> ions within the selectivity filter via resonant THz waves. We characterize the ions' axial oscillations, identifying a distinct intrinsic frequency of 1.65 THz and two coherent modes. By tuning a THz electric field to this frequency, we induce a remarkable resonance excitation that lowers the energy barrier between binding sites, achieving a statistically significant enhancement of Ca<sup>2+</sup> permeation in our model. Meanwhile, we show that the degree of coherence is precisely tunable by the resonant THz field and temperature. Furthermore, quantum mechanics analyses reveal transition frequencies and wavefunctions that validate the observed oscillation modes, confirming that the collective motion exhibits discrete quantum eigenstates. Our results introduce a proof-of-concept, ion-targeted strategy for manipulating Ca<sup>2+</sup> permeation and propose a theoretical coherence mechanism for high-flux ions transport. This work advances the understanding of ion channel physics via a mechanism-oriented framework that lays the groundwork for exploring novel bio-electromagnetic modulation.

Advanced Science
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Openalex Percentile: Top 50%
Terahertz technology and applications
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