Neurophysiology Flashcards
What is membrane potential maintained by?
Membrane potential is maintained by nonconducting neuron’s plasma membrane, typically - 70 mV
What is resting membrane potential determined by?
RMP is determined primarily by the membrane permeability to K+ and Na+
What is the membrane more permeable to?
K+
Why is the inside of the cell negatively charged?
there are more proteins inside the cells, which carry negative charges
What does the sodium-potassium exchange pump do?
Stabilize the RMP; the passive and active mechanisms are in balance
What is the equilibrium potential?
the transmembrane potential at which there is no net movement of a particular ion across the cell membrane
electric potential = concentration potential
When does transmembrane potential rise or fall?
In response to temporary changes in membrane permeability resulting from opening or closing specific membrane channels
What are the two types of membrane channels?
passive channels (leak channels) and active channels (gated channels)
What is a characteristic of passive channels?
they are always open
What are the characteristics of active channels?
open or close in response to specific stimuli
What are the three states of active channels?
- close but capable of opening
- open (activated)
- closed and incapable of opening (inactivated)
What are the three classes of gated channels?
chemically regulated channels, voltage-regulated channels, mechanically regulated channels
How do chemically regulated channels work?
Open in presence of specific chemicals at the binding site.
Where are chemically regulated channels found?
Found on neuron cell body and dendrites
How do voltage-regulated channels work?
respond to changes in transmembrane potential, have activation gates (opens) and inactivation gates (closes). Characteristic of excitable membrane
Where are voltage-regulated channels found?
found in neural axons, skeletal muscle sarcolemma, and cardiac muscle
How do mechanically reguated channels work?
they respond to membrane distortion
Where are mechanically regulated channels found?
found in sensory receptors (touch, pressure, vibration)
What are graded potentials?
changes in transmembrane potential that can’t spread far from site of stimulation (also called local potentials)
How is magnitude related to graded potentials?
The magnitude is proportional to the magnitude to the stimulus (open more channels) –> graded
How is a graded potential produced?
Any stimulus that opens a gated channel produces a graded potential
What is a graded potentials excitation?
when a stimulus triggers the opening of additional Na+ channels, allowing the membrane potential to move toward zero (depolarization). The effect spreads passively owing to local currents and decreases with distance
What is a graded potentials inhibition?
When a stimulus triggers the opening of additional K+ channels, increasing the membrane potential (hyperpolarization)
What is a graded potentials repolarization?
it restores the normal RMP after depolarization by channels and ion pumps
What is action potential?
propagated changes in transmembrane potential that affect an entire excitable membrane and are link graded potentials at cell body with motor end plate actions
What happens when initiating action potential?
the initial stimulus is a graded depolarization of axon hillock large enough (10 to 15 mV) to change resting potential (-70 mV) to threshold level of voltage-regulated sodium channels (-60 to -55 mV)
What is the all or none principle?
If a stimulus exceeds threshold amount, then the action potential is the same no matter how large the stimulus (action potential is either triggered or not)
What are the four steps in the generation of action potentials?
- depolarization to threshold (-60 mV)
- activation of voltage regulated Na+ channels
- inactivation of Na+ channels, activation of K+ channels
- return to normal permeability
What happens during the activation of voltage regulated Na+ channels?
rapid depolarization, Na+ ions rush into cytoplasm, inner membrane changes from negative to positive
What happens during the inactivation of Na+ channels, activation of K+ channels
happens at +30 mV, inactivation gates close (Na+ channel activation), voltage-gated K+ channels open, repolarization
What happens during return to normal permeability?
K+ channels will begin to close when membrane reaches normal resting potential (-70 mV), K+ channels finishing closing when membrane is hyperpolarized to -90 mV, and when transmembrane potential returns to resting level – the action potential is over
What is an absolute refractory period?
brief period of stimulus resistance
What is a relative refractory period?
will only respond to a very strong stimulus
What is the propagation of action potentials?
the movement of action potentials generated in the axon hillock. This happens along the entire length of an axon. This is also a series of repeated actions, not a passive flow