noun
- A molecule or compound that facilitates the transport of ions across cell membranes or other biological barriers.
Usage: technical; biochemistry; commonly used in scientific and medical research
Examples
- Valinomycin is an ionophore that selectively transports potassium ions across membranes.
- Researchers used an ionophore to study how calcium moves into cells.
- The antibiotic acts as an ionophore, disrupting the ion balance in bacterial cells.
- Ionophores are essential tools in laboratory experiments examining cellular ion transport.
- The ionophore allowed scientists to measure intracellular calcium levels more accurately.