Physics of Neurons Essay -- physics neuron

The human queasy remains is divided into two parts, the central flyaway system and the peripheral uneasy system. The central nervous system, CNS, is just the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system, PNS, includes the nerves and neurons that extend outwards from CNS, to transmit information to your limbs and organs for example. dialogue between your cells is extremely important, neurons argon the messengers that relay information to and from your brain.Nerve cells picture electrical signals to transmit information. Neurons ar not necessarily intrinsically huge electrical conductors, however, they have evolved change mechanisms for propagating signals based on the campaign of ions crossways their tissue layers.In their inactive state neurons have a negative potential, called the resting membrane potential. Action potentials changes the transmembrane potential from negative to positive. Action potentials are carried along axons, and are the basis for information transportation from one cell in the nervous system to another. Other types of electrical signals are possible, but well focus on action potentials. These electrical signals arise from ion fluxes produced by nerve cell membranes that are selectively permeable to different ions. Neurons and glia (cells that support neurons) are specialized cells for electrical signaling over long distances. Understanding neuronal construction is important for understanding neuronal function. The number of synaptic inputs recieved by individually nerve cell in our (human) nervous system varies from 1-100,000 This wide straddle reflects the fundamental purpose of nerve cells, to integrate info from other neurons.cellular organization of neurons resembles that of other ce... ...ive current run.Another way to improve the inactive flow is to insulate the axonal membrane with myelin. This reduces the amount of current that would differently leak out of the axon and increases the distance that the c urrent bottom of the inning flow passively.Myelination, aka axon insulation, increases action potential conduction up to 150m/s compared to 0.5-10m/s conduction velocities of unmyelnated axonsSpeedy delivery of current (information) along axons is also due to the nodes of Ranvier. Nodes of Ranvier are gaps between insulated portions of the axon. The gaps create a place where the current mint flow out of the axon so an action potential can be generated.Action potentials are started at one end of the node, flow passively through the myelinated axon, and pop out the other spot to jump to the next node. This jumping of action potentials is called saltatory.