Modeling calcium dynamics in neurons with endoplasmic reticulum: existence, uniqueness and an implicit-explicit finite element scheme

Like many other biological processes, calcium dynamics in neurons containing an endoplasmic reticulum are governed by diffusion-reaction equations on interface-separated domains. Interface conditions are typically described by systems of ordinary differential equations that provide fluxes across the interfaces. Using the calcium model as an example of this class of ODE-flux boundary interface problems, we prove the existence, uniqueness and boundedness of the solution by applying comparison theorem, fundamental solution of the parabolic operator and a strategy used in Picard's existence theorem. Then we propose and analyze an efficient implicit-explicit finite element scheme which is implicit for the parabolic operator and explicit for the nonlinear terms. We show that the stability does not depend on the spatial mesh size. Also the optimal convergence rate in $H^1$ norm is obtained. Numerical experiments illustrate the theoretical results.