Capacitance affects several cellular functions, especially in excitable cells:
1. Action Potentials: In neurons, the membrane capacitance influences the speed at which action potentials propagate along the axon. Higher capacitance can slow down the propagation speed because it takes more time to charge the membrane to the threshold voltage.
2. Signal Transmission: In muscle cells, capacitance influences the transmission of electrical signals that lead to muscle contraction. The efficiency of these signals is partly dependent on the membrane's capacitance.
3. Synaptic Transmission: During synaptic transmission, the capacitance of synaptic vesicles plays a role in neurotransmitter release. The vesicles must fuse with the presynaptic membrane to release their contents, a process influenced by the electrical properties of the membrane.
