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Diffusion down an axon
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last edited
by Joe Redish 7 years, 3 months ago
4.3.3.P14
| Cells have a number of ways of communicating information within a cell and between cells. One such mechanism is diffusion. A signaling chemical is produced at one place and diffuses to another. But in some places, diffusion takes too long and other mechanisms had to evolve. In the figure at the right is shown a neuron (at the top) and its axon (the long cable) connecting to a second neuron (at the bottom). The small black blob in the middle of the top neuron is its cell body – about 10 μm in diameter. The coefficient of diffusion of a signaling protein in cytoplasm is about D ~ 10 μm2/s. Estimate about how long it would take a small blob of signaling chemical molecules from the upper cell's cell body to diffuse down the axon to the second cell. Be sure to clearly state your assumptions and how you came to the numbers you estimated, since grading on this problem will be mostly based on your reasoning, not on your answer. |
 B. Alberts,
The Cell (with permission) |
Joe Redish 11/11/16
Diffusion down an axon
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