Bioelectric signals
Bioelectric signals
Nerve and muscle cells generate bioelectric signals that are the result of electrochemical changes within and between cells. If a nerve or muscle cell is stimulated by a stimulus that is strong enough to reach a necessary threshold, the cell will generate an action potential. The action potential, which represents a brief flow of ions across the cell membrane, can be measured with intracellular or extracellular electrodes. Action potentials generated by an excited cell can be transmitted from one cell to adjacent cells via its axon. When many cells become activated, an electric field is generated that propagates through the biological tissue. These changes in extracellular potential can be measured on the surface of the tissue or organism by using surface electrodes. The electrocardiogram [ECG], electrogastrogram [EGG], electroencephalogram [EEG], and electromyogram [EMG] are all examples of this phenomenon.
Related pages:
- Biosignals
- Biomagnetic signals
- Biochemical signals
- Biomechanical signals
- Bioacoustic signals
- Biooptical signals
