Onsager reciprocal relations in complex membranes

Given the general transport relations of irreversible thermodynamics with Onsager's reciprocal relations applicable at every point in space in an inaccessible membrane region, general considerations of averaging dictate whether the macroscopically observable coefficients relating fluxes to forc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of theoretical biology Vol. 10; no. 2; pp. 177 - 183
Main Authors Snell, Fred M., Stein, Barry
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England Elsevier Ltd 01.02.1966
Subjects
Biological Transport, Active
Membranes
Models, Theoretical
Thermodynamics
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Summary:Given the general transport relations of irreversible thermodynamics with Onsager's reciprocal relations applicable at every point in space in an inaccessible membrane region, general considerations of averaging dictate whether the macroscopically observable coefficients relating fluxes to forces form a symmetrical matrix. Considering only steady state conditions, it is shown that in planar membranes without chemical reactions involving the transported species, reciprocal relations among the macroscopic phenomenological coefficients obtain when the membrane is homogeneous, or when it is heterogeneous either with respect to the coordinate normal to its plane or heterogeneous with respect to the plane, but not both. Chemical reactions destroy the symmetry relations even in a homogeneous membrane.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:0022-5193
1095-8541
DOI:10.1016/0022-5193(66)90121-4