Monte Carlo modeling of the formation and organization of ion channel clustering

Nicolae Moise and Seth H Weinberg

PLOS Computational Biology, 2026, vol. 22, issue 9, 1-17

Abstract: The spatial organization of ion channels on cell membranes critically influences many key physiological processes, such as cardiac and neuronal excitability and cellular signaling, yet the mechanisms governing channel clustering remain poorly understood. In this study, we present a stochastic computational framework that models the dynamic organization of ion channels through Monte Carlo simulations incorporating membrane insertion, removal, channel-channel interactions, and diffusion processes. Our model reveals several fundamental principles of membrane domain formation. In single-channel systems, we demonstrate a biphasic relationship between interaction energy and cluster size, with optimal clustering occurring at intermediate interaction strengths, suggesting that excessively strong interactions can impede cluster growth by restricting channel mobility. In two-channel systems, we find that the interplay between homotypic and heterotypic interactions determines whether channels form mixed or segregated clusters, with asymmetric clustering behaviors emerging when homotypic interaction strengths differ between channel types. Simulations of three-channel systems demonstrate emergent organizational principles leading to hierarchical clustering patterns and specialized domain formation. These findings generate testable predictions about how channel density, trafficking dynamics, and interaction energies collectively alter ion channel spatial organization, in the setting of both physiological function and pathophysiological conditions.Author summary: The organization of ion channels into functional clusters on cell membranes remains poorly understood. This study presents a novel computational framework that simulates dynamic channel clustering by integrating trafficking, diffusion, and channel-channel interactions. The model reveals counterintuitive relationships, including how intermediate rather than strong interactions optimize cluster formation, and demonstrates how competition between different interaction types creates complex spatial patterns in multi-channel systems. This framework enables quantitative predictions on the relationship between channel density, trafficking rates, and interaction energies collectively shape membrane organization. These insights have important implications for understanding disorders in which disrupted channel organization contributes to disease pathophysiology, offering a foundation for predicting how mutations or cellular changes affect membrane organization.

Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pcbi00:1014791

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014791

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