Action Potentials

Irfan Idris
Physiology Department
Medical Faculty, UNHAS



Resting Membrane Potential
of Nerves

Actie !ransport of Sodium and Potassium

Ions !hrough the Mem"rane#!he
Sodium$Potassium %Na&$'&(

)ea*age of Potassium and Sodium

!hrough the Nere Mem"rane



Origin of the Normal Resting
Membrane Potential

Contribution of the Potassium Diffusion

Potential : +ecause of the high ratio of
potassium ions inside to outside, ,-./, the
Nernst potential corresponding to this ratio is 0
12 milliolts !herefore, if potassium ions 3ere
the only factor causing the resting potential

Contribution of Sodium Diffusion Through

the Nerve Membrane : diffusion of sodium ions
through the '&$Na& lea* channels4 !he ratio of
sodium ions from inside to outside the
mem"rane is 54/

Contribution of the Na&-K& Pump

Nerve !tion
Potential



"nitiation of the !tion Potential

Positive-#eedba!$ %i!ious C&!le Opens the

Sodium Channels
0 if any eent causes enough initial rise in the mem"rane potential
from 015 milliolts to3ard the 6ero leel, the rising oltage itself
causes many oltage$gated sodium channels to "egin opening4
!his allo3s rapid inflo3 of sodium ions, 3hich causes a further
rise in the mem"rane potential

Threshold for "nitiation of the !tion Potential

0 A sudden rise in mem"rane potential of /- to ,5 milliolts usually
is re7uired4 !herefore, a sudden increase in the mem"rane
potential in a large nere fi"er from 015 milliolts up to a"out 08-
milliolts usually causes the e9plosie deelopment of an action
potential4 !his leel of 08- milliolts is said to "e the threshold
for stimulation


Synaptic transmission






ELECTRICAL SYNAPTIC
TRANSMISION