Correspondence: Reply to ‘Revisiting the theoretical cell membrane thermal capacitance response’

We thank Plaksin, Kimmel, and Shoham for their correspondence regarding our 2012 article on the mechanism of infrared stimulation of excitable cells. In this study, we showed that the heating of cellular water by infrared light leads to an increase in the electrical capacitance of the cell membrane. This time-varying capacitance produces a current leading to membrane depolarization and generation of action potentials. Although our experimental findings were the primary focus of the paper and account for most of its impact to date, we also attempted to provide a theoretical explanation of how the membrane capacitance changes with temperature