A windows software for simulation of the membrane excitation in nerve and skeletal muscle fiber
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 2, 2026

Modeling Biological Membranes with Circuit Boards and Measuring Electrical Signals in Axons: Student Laboratory Exercises
Published on: January 18, 2011
Naoji Fujishiro1, Hiroshi Kawata
1Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan. fujishir@fukuoka-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
A windows 95/98 software program for simulating membrane excitation in nerve and skeletal muscle fiber has been developed. This program simulates (1) the action potentials of the nerve under two conditions (space clamped conditions and conducting conditions), (2) the membrane currents of the nerve under voltage clamped conditions, and (3) the propagated action potentials of skeletal muscle fiber. Since users can utilize quadruple precision in the simulation of propagated action potentials, such simulation can be done for a long period (60 ms in skeletal muscle at 2 degrees C). In addition, users can change the conditions such as the capacitance of the membrane, the maximum conductance of the channel, etc., arbitrarily without quitting the program. It is also possible to easily modify the time and the voltage dependence of the gate particles in order to confirm the effects of various changes on the action potential or the membrane current. This program also has an analysis mode in which the current-voltage relationship of a channel can be measured automatically.
More Related Videos
16:16Membrane Potentials, Synaptic Responses, Neuronal Circuitry, Neuromodulation and Muscle Histology Using the Crayfish: Student Laboratory Exercises
Published on: January 18, 2011
10:36An In Vitro Adult Mouse Muscle-nerve Preparation for Studying the Firing Properties of Muscle Afferents
Published on: September 24, 2014
Related Concept Videos
Generation of Action Potential in Skeletal Muscles
Like neurons, muscle cells are also regarded as excitable due to their capacity to change in response to stimuli, primarily due to voltage-gated ion channels embedded in their plasma membranes, which get activated by alterations in the cell's...
Muscle Stimulation Frequency
Wave summation
At low firing rates, motor neurons induce individual twitch contractions in muscle fibers. These twitches...
Relaxation of Skeletal Muscles
When an action potential reaches the axon terminal, it depolarizes the membrane and opens voltage-gated sodium channels. Sodium ions enter the cell, further depolarizing the presynaptic membrane. This depolarization causes voltage-gated calcium channels to open.
Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Skeletal Muscles
When an action potential...
Neuromuscular Junction And Blockade