Ionophores

Ionophores are lipid soluble molecules that increase the permeability of a given ion across a biological membrane. They create a shield over the ion, enabling it to transverse hydrophobic biological membranes.

There are two types of ionophores; mobile ion carriers, which are small molecules that physically shield the ion from the surrounding environment and facilitate its movement across the plasma membrane, and channel-forming ionophores, which create a pore in the biological membrane to allow the ion to pass through. These molecules can act to disrupt transmembrane ion concentrations and often have antibiotic properties.