Naive Attempt of Quantum Mechanics: Axonal Membrane

Abstract

Quantum mechanics -by using what we know about the system now- provides us information about the future of the system. Quantum physics and biology have been regarded as unrelated disciplines, describing nature at the inanimate micro level on the one hand and living species on the other hand. However, currently it is known that quantum mechanics is necessary in the description and understanding of natural phenomena. In fact, phenomena, which occur on a very small scale, cannot be explained outside the framework of quantum physics. It leads naturally to the question: Can quantum mechanics play a role in biology? In many ways it is clear that it already does.

The concept of tunneling is as old as quantum mechanics. The electrons have a finite probability of tunneling through the insulator without having enough energy to mount it. Although quantum effects are subtle, quantum mechanical tunneling may be important in understanding many membrane processes. This paper is a naive attempt to understand the potassium current characteristics from the quantum mechanical point of view.