Semana 4 Action Potential Silabo M14

Week 4
Membrane Potential, Action Potential

And Synaptic Potential
Introduction to Anatomy and

Physiology
Dr. Franklin Howley
UNIBE
Physiology
By: Dr. Franklin Howley
UNIBE
The images and information are provided by the textbook:

– Constanzo, Linda S. 2017, Physiology. 6th Edition. WB Saunders.
Additionally you can complement images and information from the following
books:
– Preston and Wilson, 2013, Physiology: Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews.
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
– Human Physiology by Lauralee Sherwood ©2010 Brooks/Cole, Cengage
Learning
– Koeppen, B. (2008) Berne and Levy Physiology, 6th Edition. Mosby
– Medical Physiology, Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine, Rodney A Rhoades,
4th Edition
– Guyton, Arthur; Hall, John. 2011 Treaty of Medical Physiology. Mc Graw-
Hill, 12th edition. Elsevier Saunders.
Can also supplement the material and information provided by Kaplan and
USMLE Step 1 First Aid.
NOTE: the power point presentation serve as tutorial and understand

concepts, it is not the material of study for their exams, but the textbook.
Physiology
UNIBE
Two major regulatory systems of the body: that ensure survival of the
body:
The Nervous System: Neural Communication

Accomplished by Nerve Cells
The Endocrine System: Hormonal Communication

Accomplished by Hormones
Physiology Neural Communication
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• Nerve and muscle are excitable tissues

• Can undergo rapid changes in their membrane potentials
• Can change their resting potentials into electrical signals
– Electrical signals are critical to the function of the nervous system and all
muscles
Physiology Review Transport
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Physiology Ion Channels
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• Characteristics
– Selective
– Passive or active
– Active channels are gated
• Voltage-gated
– Activation gate
– Inactivation gate
• 2nd Messenger-gated
• Ligand-gated
Physiology
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Physiology
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Physiology
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Physiology Neuron
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• Basic parts of neuron (nerve cell)

– Cell body
– Dendrites
– Axon
– Axon Hillock
– Axon Terminals
Action potentials are Initiated at the Axon Hillock, and

conducted throughout a nerve fiber
Physiology Neuron
UNIBE
• Cell body
– Houses the nucleus and organelles
• Dendrites
– Project from cell body and increase surface area available for receiving
signals from other nerve cells
– Signal toward the cell body
Dendrite and cell body serve as the neurons input zone.

Physiology
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Physiology Neuron
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• Axon
– Nerve fiber
– Single, elongated tubular extension that conducts
action potentials away from the cell body
– Conducting zone of the neuron
– Collaterals
• Side branches of axon
– Axon hillock
• First portion of the axon plus the region of the cell body
from which the axon leaves
• Neuron’s trigger zone
– Axon terminals
• Release chemical messengers that simultaneously
influence other cells with which they come into close
association
• Output zone of the neuron
Physiology Neuron
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Physiology
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Structural components of a neuron with

a myelinated axon.
• Figure 3.1
Physiology
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Recording the resting potential

of a neuron.
• Figure 3.3
Physiology
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Origin of the resting membrane potential.

• Figure 3.4
Physiology
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Physiology
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Physiology
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Physiology
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Physiology
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Physiology Neural Communication
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• Membrane electrical states

– Polarization
• Any state when the membrane potential is other than 0mV
– Depolarization
• Membrane becomes less polarized than at resting potential
– Repolarization
• Membrane returns to resting potential after having been depolarized
– Hyperpolarization
• Membrane becomes more polarized than at resting potential
Types of Changes in
Membrane Potential
Physiology
UNIBE
Physiology Action Potentials
UNIBE
• Brief, rapid, large (100mV) changes in membrane potential during

which potential actually reverses
• Involves only a small portion of the total excitable cell membrane
• Do not decrease in strength as they travel from their site of initiation
throughout remainder of cell membrane
Physiology
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• When membrane reaches threshold potential

– Voltage-gated Na+channels in the membrane undergo conformational
changes
– Flow of sodium ions into the ICF reverses the membrane potential from -
70 mV to +30 mV
– Flow of potassium ions into the ECF restores the membrane potential to
the resting state
UNIBE
• Additional characteristics
– Sodium channels open during depolarization by positive feedback.
– When the sodium channels become inactive, the channels for potassium
open. This repolarizes the membrane.
– As the action potential develops at one point in the plasma membrane, it
regenerates an identical action potential at the next point in the membrane.
– Therefore, it travels along the plasma membrane undiminished.
UNIBE
Physiology
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Physiology Compuertas en Potencial de Acción
UNIBE
Action Potentials
Physiology Permeability Changes and Ion Fluxes
By: Dr. Franklin Howley During an Action Potential
UNIBE
Physiology
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Phases of the action potential and the

associated changes in sodium and
potassium conductances.
• Figure 3.5A
Physiology
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Phases of the action potential and the

associated changes in sodium and
potassium conductances. (cont.)
• Figure 3.5B
Physiology
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The Na+/K+ pump gradually restores the

concentration gradients disrupted by
action potentials.
• Sodium is pumped into the ECF
• Potassium is pumped into the ICF
Physiology Conduction of Action Potentials
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• Two types of propagation

– Contiguous conduction
• Conduction in unmyelinated fibers

• Action potential spreads along every portion of
the membrane
– Saltatory conduction
• Rapid conduction in myelinated fibers

• Impulse jumps over sections of the fiber covered
with insulating myelin
–
Physiology Propagation
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Physiology
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Propagation of an action potential along

an axon. (cont.)
• Figure 3.8B
Physiology
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Propagation of an action potential along

an axon. (cont.)
• Figure 3.8C
Physiology Principles of Action Potentials
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• 1. The All or Nothing Principle:

Action Potentials occur in all or none fashion depending
on the strength of the stimulus
• 2. The Refractory Period:

– Is responsible for setting up limit on the frequency of Action Potentials
Physiology Contiguous Conduction
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Physiology Periodos Refractarios
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Physiology
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Physiology Myelinated Fibers
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Physiology Saltatory Conduction
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Physiology Saltatory Conduction
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• Propagates action potential faster than contiguous conduction

because action potential does not have to be regenerated at
myelinated section
• Myelinated fibers conduct impulses about 50 times faster than
unmyelinated fibers of comparable size
• Myelin
– Primarily composed of lipids
– Formed by oligodendrocytes in CNS
– Formed by Schwann cells in PNS
Physiology Regeneration of Nerve Fibers
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• Regeneration of nerve fibers depends on its location

• Schwann cells in PNS guide the regeneration of cut axons
• Fibers in CNS myelinated by oligodendrocytes do not have
regenerative ability
– Oligodendrocytes inhibit regeneration of cut central axons
Physiology Synapses
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• Junction between two presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons

• There are two types of Synapse:
• 1. Electrical Synapses: Two neurons connected by gap junctions
• 2. Chemical Synapses: Chemical messenger is transmitted across the

junction separating the two neurons
Physiology Synapse
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Physiology
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Physiology Synapses
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Signal at synapse either excites or

inhibits the postsynaptic neuron
• Two types of synapses
– Excitatory synapses
– Inhibitory synapses
Physiology Neurotransmitters
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• Vary from synapse to synapse

• Same neurotransmitter is always released at a particular
synapse
• Quickly removed from the synaptic cleft
• Some common neurotransmitters
– Acetylcholine
– Dopamine
– Norepinephrine
– Epinephrine
– Serotonin
– Histamine
– Glycine
– Glutamate
– Aspartate
– Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
Physiology Neuropeptides
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• Large molecules consisting of from 2 to 40 amino acids

• Synthesized in neuronal cell body in the endoplasmic reticulum and
Golgi complex
• Packaged in large, dense-core vesicles present in axon terminal
• Neuropeptides are considered neuromodulators don’t cause the
formation of EPSP or IPSP, but bring about long term changes that
subtly modulate, depress or enhance the action of the synapse
Comparison of Classical Neurotransmitters and Neuropeptides
Physiology
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Physiology Synaptic Drug Interactions
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• Possible drug actions
1. Altering the synthesis, axonal transport, storage, or release of a

neurotransmitter
2. Modifying neurotransmitter interaction with the postsynaptic receptor
3. Influencing neurotransmitter reuptake or destruction
4. Replacing a deficient neurotransmitter with a substitute transmitter
Physiology
UNIBE
Examples of drugs that alter synaptic transmission

• Cocaine
– Blocks reuptake of neurotransmitter dopamine at presynaptic terminals
• Tetanus toxin
– Prevents release of inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, affecting skeletal
muscles
Strychnine
– Competes with inhibitory neurotransmitter glycine at postsynaptic
receptor site
Thank You
Dr. Franklin Howley
This has been a Presentation for Physiology

For the Course Assignment Introduction to Anatomy
and Physiology
From the School of Medicine
Universidad Iberoamericana - UNIBE
SANTO DOMINGO, D.N.
September, 2018

Semana 4 Action Potential Silabo M14

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Week 4

Membrane Potential, Action Potential

Introduction to Anatomy and

The images and information are provided by the textbook:

NOTE: the power point presentation serve as tutorial and understand

The Nervous System: Neural Communication

The Endocrine System: Hormonal Communication

• Nerve and muscle are excitable tissues

• Basic parts of neuron (nerve cell)

Action potentials are Initiated at the Axon Hillock, and

Dendrite and cell body serve as the neurons input zone.

Structural components of a neuron with

Recording the resting potential

Origin of the resting membrane potential.

• Membrane electrical states

• Brief, rapid, large (100mV) changes in membrane potential during

• When membrane reaches threshold potential

Phases of the action potential and the

Phases of the action potential and the

The Na+/K+ pump gradually restores the

• Two types of propagation

• Conduction in unmyelinated fibers

• Rapid conduction in myelinated fibers

Propagation of an action potential along

Propagation of an action potential along

• 1. The All or Nothing Principle:

• 2. The Refractory Period:

• Propagates action potential faster than contiguous conduction

• Regeneration of nerve fibers depends on its location

• Junction between two presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons

• 1. Electrical Synapses: Two neurons connected by gap junctions

• 2. Chemical Synapses: Chemical messenger is transmitted across the

Signal at synapse either excites or

• Vary from synapse to synapse

• Large molecules consisting of from 2 to 40 amino acids

• Possible drug actions

1. Altering the synthesis, axonal transport, storage, or release of a

Examples of drugs that alter synaptic transmission

This has been a Presentation for Physiology

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