Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
conduct action potentials, despite their controlling muscle cells several
centimeters distant. Long distance signaling in these neurons is passive,
and depends on a very high specific membrane resistance (between 70 and
250
.cm
2
), so that the space constants are of the order of 1 cm (graded
electrical signals decay exponentially, and the space constant determines
the extent). Signaling is analog rather than digital (in most other nervous
systems,
U
information is coded digitally by the frequency of action
