Single large neurons have physical dimensions observable at low optimal
magniªcation, that of a tenth of a millimeter. That is big enough to
be dissected by hand with pins, using a good magnifying glass (Deiters
1856). Moving just two orders of magnitude down to the micrometer
level, which requires a good microscope, one is at the scale of synaptic
transmission. One may observe synapses at the union between nerve and
muscle, for example. Two orders of magnitude further down, at tens of
nanometers, with the aid of electron microscopy, we ªnd the realm of single
ion channels and of signal transduction and molecular biology
magniªcation, that of a tenth of a millimeter. That is big enough to
be dissected by hand with pins, using a good magnifying glass (Deiters
1856). Moving just two orders of magnitude down to the micrometer
level, which requires a good microscope, one is at the scale of synaptic
transmission. One may observe synapses at the union between nerve and
muscle, for example. Two orders of magnitude further down, at tens of
nanometers, with the aid of electron microscopy, we ªnd the realm of single
ion channels and of signal transduction and molecular biology
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