The primary function of muscle is to generate force or movement in response to a physiological stimulus. The human body contains three fundamentally different types of muscle adapted to specialized functions. Skeletal muscle is responsible for the voluntary movement of…
The ionic gradients that cells maintain across their membranes provide a form of stored electrochemical energy that cells can use for electrical signaling. The combination of a resting membrane potential of −60 to −90 mV and a diverse array of voltage-gated…
Cellular communication in the nervous system is based on electrical and chemical signaling events that are mediated by ion channels. Certain types of cells, including neurons and myocytes, have a remarkable property called electrical excitability. In cells with this property,…
Physics is concerned with the fundamental nature of matter and energy, whereas the goal of medical physiology is to understand the workings of living tissue. Despite their different perspectives, physics and physiology share common historical roots in the early investigations…