Abstract
Ion transport through the nerve membrane is considered in terms of barrier-limited fluxes calculated from absolute reaction rate theory. Equations are developed to describe the conformational transitions of an enzyme embedded in the membrane to provide a low-energy transport site. The enzyme transitions are controlled by binding and hydrolytic release of an acetylcholine-like molecule, which in turn depends on ion association with a single negative charge on the enzyme. Simulation of the equations gives good agreement with typical experimental voltage clamps and action potentials. A steady-state negative resistance is found in isoosmolar potassium, and the model shows excitation by an acetylcholine pulse under conditions mimicking the postsynaptic membrane. The implications of the model for development of a molecular theory of the nerve membrane are considered.
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