Diagram of Action Potential - Biology of Organisms | Quizlet

neuron

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system

soma

cell body of a neuron

dendrite

Branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information.

axon

the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands

synapse

the junction between the axon terminal of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron

TERM

resting potential

DEFINITION

resting voltage before a stimulus occurs

TERM

stimulus

DEFINITION

starts a rapid change in voltage or action potential

TERM

depolarization

DEFINITION

caused by a rapid rise in membrane potential opening of sodium channels in the cellular membrane, resulting in a large influx of sodium ions

TERM

repolarization

DEFINITION

results from rapid sodium channel inactivation as well as a large efflux of potassium ions resulting from activated potassium channels

TERM

hyperpolarization

DEFINITION

a lowered membrane potential caused by the efflux of potassium ions and closing of the potassium channels

TERM

refractory period

DEFINITION

Na+/K+ pump uses ATP to restore the membrane potential

sodium-potassium pump

a carrier protein that uses ATP to actively transport 3 sodium ions out of a cell and 2 potassium ions into the cell

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons