Steps of Neurophysiology By Mikaela Aldenhoven
Polarised membrane /resting potential = more negatively charged ions inside the cell and more positively charged ions outside the cell in the extracellular fluid
Stimuli (neurotransmitter) causes gates in cell membrane to open slightly
Sodium trickles into the cell
When the inside of the cell reaches its threshold, the sodium gates open wider and sodium rushes into the cell causing depolarisation
The sodium diffuses through the cytoplasm of the axon and another action potential is created at the adjacent node (node to node)
Sodium gates close and potassium gates open
Potassium diffuses out of the cell to the extracellular fluid
The neuron is polarised again (resting potential)
The sodium potassium pump transports sodium out and potassium into the cell
Would anyone like to comment on this or add anything?
Hello :) first of all this is amazing! just one little question I have.. where its written 'sodium gates close and potassium gates open and potassium diffuses out of the cell'- then it has neuron is polarised again. I cant make sense of that in my head because isnt the negative charge now leaving the cell, making it not at its resting potential.. so wouldnt this occur after the last step of 'sodium potassium pump transports sodium out and potassium back into the cell'??
ReplyDeleteits ok i get it now, for some reason i thought sodium was more negatively charged (dont know where that came from)- now i get it moving from high concentration to low concentration etc!
ReplyDeleteGreat work guys. Keep up the discussion.
ReplyDeleteSophie