Local Signaling: Passive Electrical Properties of the Neuron - Membrane Capacitance Prolongs the Time Course of Electrical Signals

5 important questions on Local Signaling: Passive Electrical Properties of the Neuron - Membrane Capacitance Prolongs the Time Course of Electrical Signals

What mainly influences the time course of voltage change of a membrane in response to an applied current?

The capacitance of the membrane.

What is the difference between Cin and Cm?

Cin refers to the total capacitance of the membrane of a cell.
Cm refers to the standardized capacitance for 1 unit of biological membrane.

Explain the difference between I ionic and I capacitance.

Iionic is the current flow related to the specific properties of the ion channels it flows through (mu*z*c*dV) and I capacitance is related to the current flow through the capacitor (Nernst). They are added they yield the membrane current Im, which in steady state is 0 A.
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Explain the initial slope of the change in voltage over time in response to an applied current.

The exponential increase is due to properties of the capacitor, t changes of time and so does V --> differential equation.

Why does the current initially run through the capacitor indtead of the resistor?

The capacitor can store the charge, which effectively relieves pressure on the system.

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