Lecture 7 - Resting Membrane Potential Flashcards
What is meant by selective permeability?
Certain ions channels in a cells membrane are open at a particular time allowing movement of these ions into or out of the cell
What cells have a membrane potential?
All cells have a membrane potential
What is a membrane potential of a cell?
The electrical potential difference (difference in electrical charge) across the cells plasma membrane
What is membrane potential important for?
Cell to cell signalling
Providing IMMEDIATE energy source for ion transport (electrochemical gradient)
What is used to measure the membrane potential of a cell?
Microelectrode
Conducting solution
How is the membrane potential of a cell measured?
The fine glass pipette of one side of the microelectrode penetrates the cell membrane into the cell (without disrupting membrane structure)
Cell filled with conducting solution
Other part of the electrode remains extracellular and gets zeroed
Membrane potential then measured
What does the value of membrane potential actually mean? For example if membrane potential was measured as -90mV what does this actually mean?
The difference in charge of the inside of the cell compared to the outside
-90mV means that the inside of the cell is 90mV MORE NEGATIVELY charged than the outside of the cell
What is 1mV in Volts?
1mV = 0.001V
1mV = 10^-3 V
What is Resting Membrane Potential?
The electrical potential (charge) difference across the plasma membrane of the cell when the cell is not stimulated/excited
What does RMP stand for?
Resting Membrane Potential
What is the RMP of Cardiac ventricular myocytes and Atrial myocytes?
-85mV
What is the RMP of Neurones?
-70mV
What is the RMP of Skeletal muscle myocytes?
-90mV
What is the RMP of Smooth muscle myocytes?
-50mV
What is an excitable cell?
Cell that can fire action potentials