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Bioen 599 F, Autumn 2000 Bioengineering Principles of Physiology

Lecture Material and Notes

Week 7, Lecture 18: Membranes in signal transduction
Michael Regnier

Lecture theme and outline: Neurons and muscle cells use the electro-chemical gradient to conduct and transmit and control information, and establish feedback mechanisms for higher levels of control (ie. motor unit recruitment, reflex pathways, potentiation/inhibition, etc). An action potential generated at position x depends only on the plasma membrane, ion channels and the gradients of Na+ and K+ across it. Propogation of an action potential depends on membrane time and length constants. Membrane properties that allow more rapid conduction of the action potential include larger diameter and neural myelination, ie. saltatory conduction.

Reading:

  1. Molecular Biology of the Cell. - pp. 508-535 (same as last lecture).
  2. Patton et al., eds. Textbook of Physiology - Ch. 3 - Handout.
  3. Website to be distributed in class - this is an excellent tutorial.

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 Last Updated:
11/05/00

Contact the instructor at: mregnier@u.washington.edu