Numerical Study of the Electric Polarization of Spherical Cells Suspended in Electrolytic Solution

The equivalent circuit method (ECM) was applied in the analysis of the membrane potential distribution in spherical membranes suspended in electrolytic solution. Numerical results are in agreement with the analytical cosine distribution for a single membrane in an uniform electric field. However, for a suspension of membranes, the numerical results show that the potential is distorted from the cosine distribution, with the major reduction occurring around the poles. The pole membrane potential was observed to decrease linearly with the increase of the volumetric fraction occupied by the cells. Furthermore, the conductivity of the suspension also was obtained as a function of the volumetric fraction and the results are in good agreement with the Maxwell model for spherical particles suspended in conductor liquid.