Cellular Biophysics

Dr. Sunil G. Harsulkar

B.P.Th , M.P.Th Ortho
 RMP
 All living cells poses membranes capable of separating electrical

changes, the charge around excitable membrane is greater in

magnitude.

 -70 mV for Nerve

 -80-90 mV for Muscle

 In both nerve and muscle membrane inside is negative and outside is

positive
 This RMP is the result of the unequal distribution of ions

across the cell membrane. Each ion will try to equalize its
concentration across the membrane
 Action Potential
 It is the ability to rapidly and transiently alter the potential across the

membrane.

 Given a stimulus the cell membrane will increase its permeability to

Na+ this is called LOCAL EXCITATORY RESPONSE.

 As the number of Na+ ions entering the cell increases a reduction in

negative charge called DEPOLARIZATION which occurs.

 If this alteration in charge reaches a certain critical level then the

permeability to Na+ will increase explosively this critical level of

Depolarization is called THRESHOLD.

 The rapid reversal of electrical potential that ensues following

stimulation at threshold level or greater is called an ACTION

POTENTIAL.

 The action potential is a brief event lasting only 1 to 2 ms. During

this event the membrane potential rapidly changes from -70mV to

+35mV as Na+ rushes into the cell
 When the permeability increases for Na+ it also increases for K+ but

this change takes place more slowly and reaches its peak after the
permeability to Na+ has shut down.

 This causes membrane to become hyperpolarized for a brief period as

K+ approaches its equilibrium potential of -90mV.

 The changes in membrane permeability just described are transient.

 Following the action potential the cell levels to its previous

permeability and the sodium pump through active transport quickly

restores the cell to its original RMP.

 The depolarization phase of the AP is called as the ABSOLUTE

REFRACTORY PERIOD.

 Even in the presence of threshold stimulus another AP cannot occur

during this time.

 During the hyper polarization phase called the RELATIVE

REFRACTORY PERIOD the cell is capable of generating an AP but

the stimulus has to be a suprathreshold level to compensate for hyper
polarization.

 Ap is an “ ALL OR NONE” phenomenon the amplitude of the AP is

always the same regardless of strength of stimulus.

 Once a threshold level of stimulation is reached an AP will occur.

Additional increase of stimulus amplitude will not change the size of

AP.
 Propagation of electrical impulse/AP
 It is a movement or cause of movement through a medium. In this

case it is the electrical impulse that is moving along the nerve

membrane.

 Propagation allows the nerve impulse to travel to another nerve or to

muscle to create a contraction.

 At rest a cell membrane is + ve outside –ve on the inside .

 Reversal of this polarity (charge) accompanying an AP which lead to
local current flow in both directions away from the initial point of
depolarization.
 This triggers an AP along the length of the cell membrane.
 The local current flow initiated by the original AP is called as eddy
current.
 These currents cause threshold depolarization of neighboring

membrane initiating an adjacent AP.

 In this way the entire surface of the cell membrane will gradually

become excited and the impulse can be propagated along the entire
cell.

 The distance that the current will spread depends on the membrane

resistance, the internal longitudinal resistance of the nerve fiber and

the radius of nerve fiber.
 Propagation distance= fiber radius × RM
axoplasmic resistance
 Large nerve fiber have a greater radius and less axoplasmic resistance

and therefore they have greater longitudinal conduction .

 In addition myelin acts to increase the membrane resistance thereby

increases the distance the current will flow.

 Myelination acts to increase the speed of propagation because eddy

currents do not have to cross the membrane except at the nodes ranivier

where the myelin is thin.

 The time it takes for voltage change to occur across the membrane is

determined by the production of its resistance and capacitance called the

time constant.

 The Myelination acts to decrease The capacitance of large nerves which

also increases conduction velocity