Ionic Conductivity

in biological systems, conductivity caused mainly by the diffusion of ions. It plays an important role in the transport of materials between the various structural elements of cells, in the generation and conduction of bioelectric impulses, and in the generation of differences in potentials between the various organelles of the cell, as well as between its external and internal mediums. The total ionic conductivity (mainly for K⁺, Na⁺, and Cl^-) may be estimated from an equation taking the ionic gradients, the ionic permeability coefficients, and the membrane potential difference into account. The concept of partial ionic conductivity is used in the theory of the generation of bioelectric potentials for the fluxes of various individual ions.