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Updated: Feb 5, 2026

Three-dimensional Imaging and Analysis of Mitochondria within Human Intraepidermal Nerve Fibers
Published on: September 29, 2017
Modeling of complex signals in nerve fibers
Jüri Engelbrecht1, Kert Tamm1, Tanel Peets1
1Department of Cybernetics, School of Science, Laboratory of Solid Mechanics, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 21, Tallinn 12618, Estonia.
Abstract:
Experiments have demonstrated that signals in nerve fibers are composed by electrical and mechanical components. In this paper a coupled mathematical model is described which unites the governing equations for the action potential, the pressure wave in the axoplasm and the longitudinal and the transverse waves in the surrounding biomembrane into one system of equations. As a solution of this system, an ensemble of waves is generated. The main hypotheses of such a model are related to the nature of coupling forces between the single waves in the ensemble. These coupling forces are assumed to have bi-polar shapes leading to energetically stable solutions. The in silico modeling demonstrates the qualitative resemblance of computed wave profiles to experimental ones. The ideas of possible experimental validation of the model are briefly described.
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