Abstract
In the previous chapter on Ion-Selective Channels, we discussed in detail the selectivity of ion channels and ion permeation processes. Another characteristic of pores is their gating, the kinetics of their opening and closing, which is the topic of this chapter on Theory of Excitability. We mentioned this property already when we discussed the characterization of single channels by the patch-clamp technique and the analysis of current fluctuations and gating currents. The patch-clamp technique particularly introduced a new “microscopic” dimension for the understanding of electrophysiological phenomena. In this chapter, we will consider “macroscopic” phenomena that, nevertheless, formed a milestone in electrophysiology. Macroscopic means current signals composed of a huge number of single-channel events.
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Rettinger, J., Schwarz, S., Schwarz, W. (2016). Theory of Excitability. In: Electrophysiology . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30012-2_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30012-2_6
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