News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on The magic of ion channels in the neurons.

Re:The magic of ion channels in the neurons by james_s_tayler on Thursday August 27, 2020 @07:02PM (#24299637)
Interesting. I knew most of that more or less but didn't know the mechanism by which the myelin sheath speed up the propagation of action potentials but it makes sense.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The magic of ion channels in the neurons by kkylin on Thursday August 27, 2020 @08:52PM (#24300346)
Hodgkin and Huxley, who figured out how the basic mechanism underlying action potentials, worked on the squid giant axon because it's so large, up to 1.5mm in diameter. And the reason is large is that invertebrates do not have myelin, and the large diameter helps speed up signals:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squid_giant_axon

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The magic of ion channels in the neurons by HarryHirsch on Thursday August 27, 2020 @09:06PM (#24300408)
It starts with the telegraph equation. Try this magisterial and slightly obsessive book: https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/cellular-biophysics-2-vol-set
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The magic of ion channels in the neurons by phasetransition on Thursday August 27, 2020 @11:16PM (#24301040)
Interesting. Oliver Heaviside continues his posthumous exploits.
[ Parent | on HN ]