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Updated: Mar 22, 2026
Modeling Biological Membranes with Circuit Boards and Measuring Electrical Signals in Axons: Student Laboratory Exercises
Published on: January 18, 2011
Propagation of the change in the membrane potential using a biocell-model
Yoshinari Takano1, Osamu Shirai, Yuki Kitazumi
1Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan. shiraio@kais.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
Abstract:
A new model system of nerve conduction, which has two sites (the potential-sending and the potential-receiving sites) was constructed by the use of some liquid-membrane cells which mimic the function of the K(+) and Na(+) channels. The model system setup was such that the membrane potential of the K(+)-channel cell (resting potential) was different from that of the Na(+)-channel cell (action potential). Initially, the K(+)-channel cell at the potential-sending site was connected to that at the potential-receiving site. After switching from the K(+)-channel cell to the Na(+)-channel cell at the potential-sending site, the membrane potential of the K(+)-channel cell at the potential-receiving site began to vary with the generation of the circulating current. By placing several K(+)-channel cells in parallel at the potential-receiving site, the propagation mechanism of the action potential was interpreted and the influence of the resistor and the capacitor on the propagation was evaluated.
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