The enduring legacy of the “constant-field equation” in membrane ion transport

Abstract

In 1943, David Goldman published a seminal paper in The Journal of General Physiology that reported a concise expression for the membrane current as a function of ion concentrations and voltage. This body of work was, and still is, the theoretical pillar used to interpret the relationship between a cell’s membrane potential and its external and/or internal ionic composition. Here, we describe from an historical perspective the theory underlying the constant-field equation and its application to membrane ion transport.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Sep 20, 2017
Source ID
10.1085/jgp.201711839

Entities

People

  • Osvaldo Alvarez
  • Ramon Latorre

Organizations

  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  • National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development
  • University of Granada Faculty of Sciences
  • University of Valparaíso

Tags

Readers

  • Plasma Physics.
  • Theoretical Analysis.
  • Underwater engineering and Marine Technology.