Final answer:
The equilibrium potential for chloride (ECl) would change with an extracellular chloride concentration of 2mM. The Nernst equation would be utilized to calculate this change, reflecting chloride's role in maintaining electrical neutrality and balancing osmotic pressures across cell membranes.
Step-by-step explanation:
When extracellular chloride concentration is at 2mM, it affects the electrical potential across the cell membrane, commonly referred to as the chloride equilibrium potential (ECl). The Nernst equation can be used to calculate ECl. Chloride ions (Cl-) play a key role in balancing cations in the extracellular fluid (ECF) and in maintaining electrical neutrality, as well as contributing to the osmotic pressure gradient between the intracellular fluid (ICF) and ECF.
Low extracellular chloride levels could lead to changes in this balance, influencing cellular processes and ionic exchange via transporters like the Na+/K+ ATPase, which pumps two K+ ions into the cell while removing three Na+ ions per ATP, thereby maintaining the cell's negative charge. As chloride is the predominant extracellular anion, significant deviations in its concentration can have profound physiological implications.