A windows software for simulation of the membrane excitation in nerve and skeletal muscle fiber

Abstract

A windows 95/98 software program for simulating membrane excitation in nerve and skeletal muscle fiber has been developed. This program simulates (1) the action potentials of the nerve under two conditions (space clamped conditions and conducting conditions), (2) the membrane currents of the nerve under voltage clamped conditions, and (3) the propagated action potentials of skeletal muscle fiber. Since users can utilize quadruple precision in the simulation of propagated action potentials, such simulation can be done for a long period (60 ms in skeletal muscle at 2°C). In addition, users can change the conditions such as the capacitance of the membrane, the maximum conductance of the channel, etc., arbitrarily without quitting the program. It is also possible to easily modify the time and the voltage dependence of the gate particles in order to confirm the effects of various changes on the action potential or the membrane current. This program also has an analysis mode in which the current–voltage relationship of a channel can be measured automatically.