Two-state stochastic models for memory in ion channels.
AIM
To study quantitatively the memory existing in ion channels.


METHODS
Stochastic processes were used to model 2 categories of memory (short-term and long-term) by persisting in the standpoint of two-state, instead of multiple states, but with different transition mechanism.


RESULTS
A two-state Markov process with constant transition intensities well fitted the short-term memory and a two-state Markov process within a kind of random environment well fitted the long-term memory. Statistical procedures for parameter estimation were proposed and demonstrated with 2 real examples on the channels of PC12 cells.


CONCLUSION
The memory in ion channels can be quantitatively modelled as stochastic process with 2 states.