jonoforów

Jonofory, or ionophores in Polish, are a class of chemical compounds that facilitate the transport of ions across lipid membranes. They can act as mobile carriers that shuttle ions through the hydrophobic core of membranes or by assembling into transmembrane pores that allow ions to pass, thereby altering the ion gradients essential for cellular processes.

As mobile carriers, ionophores bind specific ions such as potassium, sodium, or calcium, diffuse through the membrane interior, and release the ion on the opposite side. Channel-forming ionophores insert into the lipid bilayer and organize into pore-like structures that permit ions to flow through the membrane down their electrochemical gradients. Some ionophores function as antiporters, exchanging one ion for another (often protons), thereby coupling transport to proton gradients.

Many ionophores are natural products produced by bacteria or fungi. Notable examples include valinomycin, which preferentially transports potassium; gramicidin A, which forms a linear cation channel; nigericin, a potassium–hydrogen antiporter; and monensin, a sodium–hydrogen antiporter. These compounds have applications in biochemical research and, in certain cases, serve as antibiotics or feed additives.

Ionophores are important tools for studying membrane potential and ion homeostasis because they can selectively alter ion gradients. Their ability to disrupt cellular ion balance also underpins their antimicrobial properties and raises safety considerations for their handling and use. See also ion channels and membrane transport.