Measuring Resting Potentials
In some cells, the membrane potential is always changing (such as cardiac pacemaker cells). For such cells there is never any “rest” and the “resting potential” is a theoretical concept. Other cells with little in the way of membrane transport functions that change with time have a resting membrane potential that can be measured by inserting an electrode into the cell. Transmembrane potentials can also be measured optically with dyes that change their optical properties according to the membrane potential.
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