A ligand-gated ion channel couples ligand occupancy to the probability of pore opening. The ligand-binding site and ion pathway can be distinct, and sustained occupancy can lead to a desensitized nonconducting state.
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Ligand-gated ion channels are a type of transmembrane protein that form ion channels in the membrane of cells and open or close in response to the binding of a specific chemical messenger or ligand (such as a neurotransmitter). When a ligand binds to the receptor site on the channel, it induces a conformational change in the channel protein that allows ions to flow across the membrane.