Ion Channels: Structure and Function. Ion channels are membrane protein complexes and their function is to facilitate the diffusion of ions across biological membranes. Membranes, or phospholipid bilayers, build a hydrophobic, low dielectric barrier to hydrophilic and charged molecules. They are electrical insulators.
The inert gas xenon (chemical symbol Xe) has an atomic number of 54, and it has 54 protons in its nucleus. The number of neutrons varies, however.
1 The first use for Xenon was in flash lamps used in photograph and it is still used for this purpose today. 2  It is also used in strobe lights and some bactericidal lamps. 3  This same technology also led to the invention of the first solid-state laser in 1960. Xenon is also used in sodium vapor lamps as a starter gas. 2  A mixture of xenon and neon is used in the cells of plasma televisions. 3  Xenon gas, mixed with oxygen and air, is also used as a general anesthetic and is administered with an anesthesia machine.