[DIYbio] Re: Action Potential Driven Microbial Fuel Cell Design

Innovative idea! I'm not immediately confident that it would make a convenient power source, but I know a lot less about energy cells than about action potentials (APs).

One thing to know is that the actual bursts of Na/K exchange constituting the voltage spike of the AP are passive transport, allowed by a chain-reaction discharge of a higher-energy state maintained by continuous active transport of ions across the membrance at the expenditure of ATP. Unlike with proton pumps, an equal charge of the intracellular and extracellular fluids is maintained throughout the whole process. It is only the membrane itself, acting akin to a capacitor, across which the voltage changes due to controlled changes in its permeability for individual ion types for which concentration gradients are maintained as part of the charged-up resting state. AFAIR, there's no transport proteins involved that are built to expend ATP to transport ions against a voltage gradient, like proton pumps do.

Do you have some way of working with that?

Good luck,
Raza

On Friday, July 8, 2016 at 4:53:12 AM UTC+2, Shambo Hore wrote:

Hello.

Many Organism Flux out Cation (i.e Na+) from their intracellular compartment to extracellular space. I found most of all Microbial Fuel Cell ( MFC ) run by proton produced by organisms. I am looking for new method and system to establish a fuel cell that can generate electricity by trapping the ions produce by action potential of a organism.

I am seeking for help and guide.

Thank you.

Best
Shambo.