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Electricity and Magnetism at the Cellular Level

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Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology

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Abstract

This chapter describes a number of topics related to charged membranes and the movement of ions through them. These range from the basics of how the presence of impermeant ions alters the concentration ratios of permeant ions, to the movement of ions under the combined influence of an electric field and diffusion, and to simple models for gating in ion channels in cell membranes. It also discusses mechanisms for the detection of weak electric and magnetic fields and the possible effects of weak low-frequency electric and magnetic fields on cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Professor of Physics, Emeritus University of Minnesota, Minnesota

    Russell K. Hobbie

  2. Associate Professor of Physics Oakland University, Oakland

    Bradley J. Roth

Authors
  1. Russell K. Hobbie
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  2. Bradley J. Roth
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Hobbie, R.K., Roth, B.J. (2007). Electricity and Magnetism at the Cellular Level. In: Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-49885-0_9

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