Aggregated Markov Processes and Channel Gating Kinetics.

A finite state Markov process is aggregated into several groups. Rather than observing the underlying Markov process, one is only able to observe the aggregated process. What can be learned about the underlying process from the aggregated one? Such questions arise in the study of gating mechanisms in ion channels in muscle and nerve cell membranes. We discuss some recent results and their implications.