Description
Membrane potential is the difference in voltage between the interior and exterior of a cell. The membrane potential allows a cell to function as a battery, providing power to operate a variety of "molecular devices" embedded in the membrane. In electrically excitable cells such as neurons, membrane potential is used for transmitting signals between different parts of a cell. Opening or closing of ion channels at one point in the membrane produces a local change in the membrane potential, which causes electric current to flow rapidly to other points in the membrane. Ion channels have been identified as important drug discovery targets