Lecture 4: Action Potentials Flashcards
Describe the process of an action potential, based on the diagram
Something happens to bring the membrane potential to threshold. This triggers the all or nothing action potential. The membrane potential becomes more positive (eventually passing above 0). Then the membrane potential falls towards zero and then there is hyperpolarisation
When is no action potential possible?
the absolute refractory period
When is action potential possible but it is more difficult to initiate?
the relative refractory period
Action potentials are regenerative. What does this mean?
They are propagated without decreasing the amplitude
When there is a depolarisation and the membrane potential becomes more positive, does it approach the equilibrium potential for Na+ or K+?
Na+
What is the conductance of an ion and what two things does it depend on?
the amount of a particular charged ion that can flow across a membrane and it depends on
- permeability due to ion channels
- equilibrium potential (driving force)
Describe the conductance of Na+ throughout an action potential
the conductance of Na+ rises rapidly at the beginning of an action, and falls rapidly back to zero
Describe the conductance of K+ throughout an action potential
the conductance rises much more slowly and doesn’t get as high and then very slowly decreases
Describe voltage gated Na+ channels (4)
- there is an activation gate which is opened when the membrane potential reaches a certain voltage
- selectively filter (specific for Na+)
- there is an inactivation gate
- blocked by chemicals such as TTX
Describe the makeup of voltage gated Na+ channels in terms of the subunits
- 4 α subunits
- 2 β subunits
What are the 4 parts of the voltage gated Na+ channel
- voltage sensing activation gate
- a pore with a selectivity filter
- an inactivation gate inside the cell
- a modulation function
Describe the voltage gated Na+ channel when it is not activated
There are positive charges in the way which closes the pore and prevents Na+ from entering because like charges repel
What are the three phases that the voltage gated Na+ channel can be in?
- not activated
- activated
- inactivated
Describe the voltage gated Na+ channel when it is activated
there has been a depolarisation to bring the membrane potential to threshold which moves the positive charge out of the way, allowing Na+ to flow down its electrochemical gradient into the cell
Describe the voltage gated Na+ channel when it is inactivated
the ball and chain part of the gate inside the cell closes to that the channel is open but blocked from the inside
Which responds faster, the ball and chain or the movement of the charge out of the pore?
they both respond to change in the voltage but the charge movement responds faster
Describe the voltage gated K+ channels (4)
- has an activation gate
- selectively filters (specific for K+)
- has an inactivation gate
- blocked by toxins
Which is faster, the voltage gated Na+ channel or the voltage gated K+ channel?
voltage gated Na+ channel
What is happening to the activation gates (both Na+ and K+) at resting membrane potential?
they are both closed so there is no conduction through the channels
When the resting membrane potential is brought to the threshold, what voltage gated channels open?
the Na+ ion channels
When the resting membrane potential is brought to the threshold, what voltage gated channels remain shut? What does this mean for the conductance of K+ ions?
K+ ion channels which means that the conductance is 0
Just after the resting membrane potential occurs, the K+ voltage gated channels open. What happens to the K+ ions? What does this cause?
they flow out of the cell which causes repolarisation
During repolarisation, which voltage gated ion channels close first?
the inactivation gate of the Na+ voltage gated channels close first
What is the absolute refractory period? Including when it occurs and why it occurs
This is when no action potential can occur and it happens when the Na+ channel inactivation gate it closed but the K+ channel is still open. This means that K+ ions still flow out which pushes the membrane potential further from threshold (hyperpolarisation)