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arXiv · 2603.07196

Quantum Tunneling Enables High-Flux Transport in Ion Channels

Bin Zhou·Yangmei Li·Ziyi Zhang·Yindong Huang·Zuoxian Xiang·Chao Chang
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Abstract

Classical molecular dynamics and electro-diffusion theories have achieved profound success in elucidating ion selectivity and gating mechanisms. However, reconciling strict selectivity with high flux permeation in Angstrom-scaled biological ion channels poses a universal challenge in nanoscale physics, as classical models consistently underestimate single-channel conductance. Using a non perturbative quantum transport framework, we calculate the ion permeation dynamics through the selectivity filter within a transfer matrix formalism. We demonstrate that quantum tunneling allows ions to bypass classical Arrhenius suppression, quantitatively recovering the experimental conductance of Na+ and K+ channels. Crucially, our findings reveal that the exploitation of quantum mechanics is a fundamental prerequisite for achieving macroscopic physiological efficiency. By reframing ion channels as mesoscopic quantum conductors, this work establishes a transformative paradigm in quantum biology and predicts distinct transport resonances in the terahertz regime.

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Bin Zhou, Yangmei Li, Ziyi Zhang, Yindong Huang, Zuoxian Xiang, Chao Chang. 2026-03-07. Quantum Tunneling Enables High-Flux Transport in Ion Channels. https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.07196

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