Inhomogeneous correlation functions for a model neuron with two planar membranes (Q1339835)

We use an ion-dipole system to model the extracellular and intracellular fluids of the neuron. The electrolyte solution consists of mobile and fixed point ionic species with electric charge \(e_ i\), bulk number density \(n^ 0_ i\) and point dipoles with bulk number density \(n^ 0_ d\), and dipole moment \({\mathbf m} (\omega)\) such that \(\omega\) describes the orientation of the dipole. The point dipoles are introduced to model the solvent structure. Also, constant negative background potentials \(\psi^ B\) model the fixed protein molecules in each of the fluid regions. The electrolyte is contained in three regions which are separated by two membranes (of finite thickness \(L\) and separated by distance 2D) and uniform surface charge density \(\sigma\) on each of the walls. The uniform surface charge densities model the negatively charged protein molecules protruding from the membrane walls. The membrane is modelled as a continuum with an associated dielectric constant \(\varepsilon_ M\). We refer to this geometry as the two finite width membranes model. We also consider a limiting form of the above model, the one finite width membrane model. This limiting form is considered to investigate the effect of the presence of a second finite width membrane in the two finite width membranes model. It is obtained by setting the surface charge density and number densities in the intracellular fluid region to zero and setting the dielectric constant equivalent to that of the membranes. For this model, we construct solutions of the differential equations for the mean electrostatic potential and the mean electrostatic fluctuation potential.