Potentials

Mrs. Sikazwe
Learning Objectives
• Distinguish diffusion potential, equilibrium potential and RMP
• Understand the differences between RMP and AP
• Explain what would occur if there is a change in concentrations of
ions to RMP
• Understand the initiation and propagation of AP and how RMP is
reverted to
 Nernst equation

• If a cell is excitable, stimulation will allow for a decrease

in negativity aka depolarisation until it reaches a threshold
• This is when the action takes place
• Normally, if the concentration of K+ is 5.5m mol/L outside
and 150 mmol/L inside the cell, the calculated Eq
Potential or RMP is -88mV
 Application
• If there is a decrease in the concentration of K + in
the ECF –hypokalaemia, could be due to diuretics;
• There will be a reduction in ICF K+ concentration
• This will result in a greater concentration gradient
formed between the inside and outside of the cell,
increasing K+ efflux
• This will make the inside of the cell more negative –
hyperpolarised
• With this reduced negativity, it would be harder for a
stimulus to raise the voltage to TH
• If there is an increase in K+
concentration outside the cell due
to cell eruption that could occur as
a result of burns and also due to
renal failure, the gradient of
concentration is reduced
• Less K+ flows out of the cell and
therefore, the inside of the cell is
less negative or hypopolarised.
• This results in resistance of Na+
channels that are voltage gated and
they remain difficult to stimulate
Action Potential
• Action potentials are rapidly developing membrane
potential changes that travel over the membrane
• It is the electrochemical changes occurring in cell
membranes of excited cells and that are propagated
• They are initiated by a stimulus such as a touch
causing an AP in neurons that move up to the CNS
where recognition of stimuli as touch is noted
• Like all cells, neurons have Na+K+ ATPases that concentrate the inside of the
cell with K+ and the outside with Na+
• At rest, membranes are a permeable to K+ and not Na+
• Leaky channels allow K+ out until they reach its equilibrium potential
• Due to leakage of other ions, the overall equilibrium potential of these
permeates is slightly above EqK+
• Touch may distort mechanical channels that will allow an influx of Na+ and this
will make the inside of the cell less negative
• The potential will fluctuate
towards a threshold
• If it does not reach the TH, it is
dies out due to leakage of K+
that allows it to return to RMP
• These subthreshold stimuli are
noted propagated and are thus
termed as local potentials
• If the stimulus is slightly
increased, there also exists a
temporal summation that allows
for an increase in strength of
potential
• Increase in stimulus to reach TH allows for voltage gated Na + channels to open
causing a rush of Na+ influx
• This causes an increased permeability of the membrane to Na + and the diffusion
potential rises causing to approach EqNa+
• Before the EqNa+ is reached, the inactivation gates of the Na+ VGC close
A closer look at the Na+ VGC
• They have two gates that open and close depending on the voltage – activation and
inactivation gates
• At rest, the Na+ VGC have the inactivation gates open and the activation gates are
closed – Resting state
• When activated by voltage increase (less electronegativity), the inactivation gates
start to close slowly and the activation gates open
• At this stage both gates are open for a few seconds allowing an influx of Na + - Active State
• Before they reach, EqNa+, the inactivation gate closes and the influx stops –
Inactive State
• The channels take a while to revert to resting state and become excitable again
• There also exists the voltage
sensitive K+ channels which
open with a little delay
• The part of the membrane
that is depolarised loses K+ to
the outside, making the
inside of the cell more
electronegative –
Repolarisation
• This is an attempt to reach
EqK+ and as these channels
delay in closing, they cause
excessive loss of K+ -
Hyperpolarisation
Movement of the signal
• The Na+ that comes in during
depolarisation move or trickle to the
adjacent membrane portion
• This increases the voltage on that
portion and opens the Na+ VGC that
cause depolarisation and this effect
continues
• As the depolarised part is repolarised,
a similar effect is noted across with
the efflux of K+ and therefore a wave
of depolarisation and repolarisation
propagates across the membrane – AP
 What to appreciate so far
Local potential
Can be depolarising or
hyperpolarising
Small fluctuations and non
propagating
Graded and dependent on the stimuli
– can be small or large
Summative – repeated stimuli causes
a stronger effect
Action potential
Initiated due to depolarisation
Propagating
Stereotypical – when TH is reached,
all the Na+ VGC open and complete
depolarisation occurs
All or none – stimuli will either give
or not give an AP (cant make it bigger
or subthreshold)
 Refractory period
• During depolarisation and repolarisation,
the neuron is refractory to stimulation.
• This refractory period is divided into an
absolute refractory period and a relative
refractory period
• ARP – from the time the firing level is
reached until repolarization is about one-
third complete
• No stimulus, no matter how strong, will excite
the nerve
• RRP- from one third completion of
repolarisation completion to the start of
after-depolarization.
• Stronger than normal stimuli can cause
excitation.
 Signal transfer
• Information that travels along the neuron, must be communicated to the next neuron
• The speed with which this information is transferred in a neuron depends on several factors
• Diameter of the neuron – larger diameter neurons have a faster conduction compared to the
narrow ones
• Myelination – layers of Schwann cells around neurons
• They are lipids (sphingomyelin) and thus insulate the parts of the neuron membrane that they layer from
passage of current
• Current therefore flows past these areas to the parts not covered (Nodes of Ranvier)
• This makes the myelinated cells faster conductors compared to the un-layered cells that have current spread
along the entire membrane