All living things are made of cells. Cells are membrane bounded compartments filled with a concentrated solution of chemicals and salts. Groups of cells perform specialized functions and are linked by an intricate communications system. The cell membrane maintains an ion concentration gradient between the intracellular and extracellular spaces. This gradient creates an electrical potential difference across the membrane which is essential to cell survival.
Electrical gradients are necessary to support movement of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nutrients.
Therefore, the cell membrane has electrically insulating qualities of capacitance. Electrical capacitance will increase or decrease depending on the health and the number of cells. Damage to the cell membrane, and its functions, is as lethal to the cell as direct damage to the nucleus itself. Below 485 Medical attention 3. The subject's Parallel Capacitance which measures the cell membrane's health was 1112 pico farads which indicates an extremely healthy individual .