Unit 2 Flashcards
Higher intra/extracellular?
Sodium, potassium, chloride, phosphate, protein
Intra - potassium, phosphate, protein
Extra - Sodium, chloride
What type of molecules can diffuse freely through the cell membrane?
Lipid
Name examples of substances that dissolve directly through the lipid bilayer (4)
Oxygen, nitrogen, C02 and alcohols
How do simple and facilitated diffusion compare/contrast?
Simple diffusion dependent on lipid solubility of substance, linear relationship with concentration
Facilitated diffusion depends on Vmax of substance, normally faster initially, then plateaus - limited by maximum rate of conformational change of carrier protein
What is the formula for net diffusion?
Net diffusion is proportional to the concentration of a substance outside a membrane, minus the concentration of the substance inside the membrane
What is the Nernst potential?
The electrical difference that will balance a given concentration difference of univalent ions at normal body temperature
What is the Nernst equation?
EMF(mV) = +/-(61/z) x (logC1/C2)
z = electrical charge of ion
What factors effect net diffusion?
Concentration, electrical potential, pressure
What determines osmotic pressure?
The number of particles per unit volume
How does the Na-K pump work? What is it’s main function?
3xNa+ pumped out of cell in exchange for 2xK+
Regulates cell volume
Describe the electrogenic nature of the Na-K pump
Because 3 Na and removed from the cell in exchange for 2 K+, there is a net positivity outside the cell and negativity inside the cell
How does calcium concentration compare inside/outside the cell? How is it maintained?
Intracellular calcium concentration very low
2 calcium pumps, one pumps calcium outside the cell, the other pumps into intracellular organelles (SR in muscle, mitochondria other cells)
Name 2 examples of primary active transport of hydrogen ions?
Gastric glands of the stomach
Late distal tubules and cortical collecting ducts in kidneys (intercalated cells)
If it takes 1400 calories to concentrate 1 osmole of a substance 10-fold, how much would be needed to concentrate it to (a) 100-fold and (b) 1000-fold?
a) 2800
b) 4200
What is the resting membrane potential of large nerves?
-70mV
What factors contribute to the negative resting potential of cells?
Increased permeability of cell membrane to K+, allows K+ to leak out - main contributor
The 3Na-2K pump - more sodium removed from cell than potassium in
What are the stages of a neuron action potential?
Resting stage
Depolarisation - voltage-gated sodium channels open, membrane becomes permeable to sodium ions, flood in and depolarisation
Repolarisation - sodium channels close, voltage-gated potassium channels open, potassium moves out, repolarisation
Describe the opening, closing and re-opening of voltage-gated Na channels
When resting membrane potential becomes less negative, channel is activated. The same increase in voltage causes inactivation a few seconds later
Channel will not re-open until membrane potential returns to near the original level
Describe the opening of the voltage-gated potassium channels
Activated when membrane potential rises, however, slight delay so open as sodium channels close
What is the role of calcium in the generation of an action potential?
Voltage-gated slow calcium channels - contribute to depolarisation, produce more sustained depolarisation
Where are calcium channels most numerous?
Smooth muscle and cardiac muscle
How does the concentration of calcium ions in the ECF effect depolarisation?
When there is a deficit of Ca++, sodium channels are opened by smaller increase in membrane potential