Membrane Potential Generation of Action Potential

• All cells display membrane potential Graded potentials travel through the neuron untilthey reach the trigger
• Separation of charge across a membrane zone. If they depolarizethe membrane abovethreshold voltage ( -55mV), an
• Uneven distribution of Na+, K+, and large intracellular protein anions action potential is generated and it travels down the axon.
Excitable tissues
• Nerve and muscle are excitable tissues
• Can undergo rapid changes in their membrane potentials
• Change their resting potentials into electrical signals

Na+ Channels have two gates

K+ Channels have one slow gate

Neural Communication
Two kinds of potential change
1. Graded potentials
• short-distance signals
• activated by the opening of mechanically or chemically gated channels.
2. Action potentials
• self-generating wave of electro-negativity
• long-distance signals generated by the opening of voltage-gated channels.
Graded Potentials
Local changes in membrane potential
• Occur in varying grades or degrees of magnitude (strength).
• The stronger the stimulus, the larger the graded potential
• Stimulus will open an ion channel in a small, specialized region of the
membrane

Final strength of stimulus: Strength-Duration Curve

Strength-duration curve represents 2 (two) factors which control the final
strength of the stimulus.
1. Voltage of the stimulus applied
Characteristics of Action Potentials
2. Duration of the stimulus
• Brief, rapid, large changes in membrane potential: potential reverses
• By varying the above 2 factors a curve is obtained which is called the
• Involves only a small portion of the total excitable cell membrane
Strength-duration Curve.
• All or None law
• A stimulus with a low voltage will have to be applied for a long period of
time to reach the threshold level • Conduction without decrement
• high voltage stimulus will need a much shorter duration. • Na+ channels open during depolarization by +ve feedback.
• When the Na+ channels become inactive, the channels for K+ open. This
Strength-Duration Curve repolarizes the membrane (-ve feedback)
Rheobase • An action potential at one point in the plasma membrane regenerates an
• The minimum voltage stimulus which when applied for an adequately identical AP at the next point in the membrane.
prolonged time will produce an AP. • Therefore, it travels along the plasma membrane undiminished (without
Chronaxie decrement).
• Is the minimum duration for which a stimulus equal to twice the rheobase Na+ channels open during depolarization by positive feedback
value has to be applied in order to start an AP.
• Tissues which are more excitable will have a shorter chronaxie and vice
versa.
 Action Potentials Refractory Periods
• Na+-K+ ATPase pumps graduallyrestores the concentration gradients
disrupted by APs
• Na+ is pumped into the ECF
• K+ is pumped into the ICF
AP are propagated from the Axon Hillock to the Axon terminal

• Absolutely refractory period - a second AP will not occur until the first is
over. The voltage gated Na+ channel is inactivated. The inactivated channel
cannot be opened by depolarization
• Relatively refractory period - a large suprathreshold depolarization can
cause a second AP (have to be large enough to overcome repolarization due
to K+ efflux ). Occurs when enough Na+ channels are in the closed rather
than inactivated stage.
Conduction of Action Potentials
Two types of propagation
Compound Action Potential in a “nerve trunk”
1. Contiguous conduction
An action potential having more than one peak/spike is called a compound
• Conduction in unmyelinated fibers
action potential.
• Action potential regenerates along every portion of the membrane
2. Saltatory conduction
Why?
• Rapid conduction in myelinated fibers A nerve trunk contains many nerve fibres differing widely in their excitability
• Impulse jumps over sections of the fiber covered with insulating myelin & different speeds of conduction of AP. Multiple peaks are recorded with the
Factors Influencing Conduction Speed of Aps AP from fastest conducting nerve fibre first to be recorded followed by the
• Myelin sheath which wraps around axons prevents current leak out of slower ones.
the cells.
• Nodes of Ranvier lack the myelin sheath . High concentration of Na+
channels are found at these nodes.
• Large diameter axons provide a low resistance to current flow within
the axon and this in turn, speeds up conduction.
• Temperature – conduction velocity increases with temperature
Myelination
• In PNS each Schwann cell myelinates 1mm of 1 axon by wrapping round
& round axon The effect of Ca2+ and K+ on impulse conduction
• Electrically insulates axon Calcium
Contiguous Conduction needed to close sodium channels during an AP
also required for neurotransmitter release
Ca2+ deficiency (diarrhoea or malnutrition) hypocalcaemia - keeps the sodium
channels open > continuous sodium diffusion through the membrane
repeated impulse transmission > skeletal muscle spasm/tetany
Potassium
potassium conc. of ECF is very important
A small increase in ECF K+ conc.(hyperkalaemia) > the membrane potential
become less negative > the cell attains a partial depolarized state which
lowers the threshold stimulus>quick generation of AP
Saltatory Conduction A decrease in ECF K+ conc. >the membrane potential become more negative -
• Propagates action potential fasterthan contiguous conduction hyperpolarized >no generation of ATP> paralyzed muscle
a. AP does not have to be regenerated at myelinated section
• Myelinated fibers conduct impulses about 50 times faster than SUMMARY: PROPERTIES OF AN AP
unmyelinated fibers of comparable size 1. All or none Law
• Myelin 2. Absolute & Relative Refractory period
a. Primarily composed of lipids 3. Compound Action Potential
b. Formed by oligodendrocytes in CNS 4. Strength-Duration Curve
c. Formed by Schwann cells in PNS 5. Conduction through
- A myelinated nerve fiber (Saltatory regeneration)
- An unmyelinated nerve fiber (Point to Point regeneration)

Graded vs Action Potential

Graded Action
• Depends on stimulus • All or none
• Decreases with distance • Propagates over entire cell
• No refractory period • Refractory period
Principle of Action Potentials
• Summation possible • No summation
1. The All or None Principle
• Triggered by stimulus (eg ligand) • Triggered by threshold
AP occur in all or none fashion, depending on the strength of the
stimulus

2. The Refractory Period

Responsible for setting up limit on the frequency of AP