Na+ concentration gradient
Na+ concentration is higher on the extracellular side of the neuron
positively charged ion
K+ concentration gradient
K+ concentration is higher on the intracellular side of the neuron
positively charged ion
A- concentration gradient
A- concentration is higher on the intracellular side of the neuron
negatively charged ion
leak channels
channels that permit constant movement of ions
sodium and potassium leak channels
includes diffusion which is made for specific ions to pass through
mechanical gated channel
open or close in response to physical distortion of a membrane surface
applied pressure opens gate, removed pressure closes gate
located in dendrites
chemical gated channel
open or close when a specific chemical binds to it
binding chemical opens gate
located in dendrites and cell body of neuron
voltage gated channel
open or close in response to changes in the membrane potential
change in electrical charges open and close gates
-70mV: more negative charges, VGC is closed
-55mV: less negative charges, VGC is open
located in axon hillock and axon of a neuron
resting membrane potential
not actively sending impulses
inside of a membrane contains more negative charges and outside contains more positive charges
charge is approximately -70mV
sodium (Na+) leak channels
neuron is not permeable to Na+ because there are few Na+ leak channels
most of its positive ions pile up on the outside of the PM trying to diffuse into the neuron
potassium (K+) leak channels
neuron is permeable to K+ because there are many K+ leak channels
its positive ions contribute to a positive charge build up on the outside of the PM as K+ has an easy time diffusing out of the neuron
why aren’t there leak channels for protein (A-)
negatively charged proteins are too large to fit through a membrane channel
how do the Na+/K+ pumps help maintain the resting membrane potential
more positive charges being pumped out than in helps add to the positive charges on the outside of the membrane
3 Na+ ions pump out for every 2 K+ ions pumped in
depolarization
membrane potential becomes less negative
caused by the opening of an active/gated Na+ channel
when a stimulus opens the Na+ gated channel, the positive ions diffuse into the PM therefore decreasing the negative charges
hyperpolarization
membrane potential becomes more negative
casued by the opening of an active/gated K+ channel
when a stimulus opens the K+ gated channel, the positive charged ions diffuse out of the PM therefore increasing the negative charges
how can a graded potential be generated
by both a depolarizing stimulus and a hyperpolarizing stimulus
how can an action potential be generated
by a depolarizing stimulus
which gated channels open to cause a graded potential
mechanical/chemical gated Na+ and K+ channels
threshold
negative charge at -55mV triggered by the opening of Na+ gated channels
how far does a graded potential travel
from the cell body towards the axon hillock
how far does an action potential travel
down the entire length of the axon until it reaches the synapse
2 types of gated channels in the dendrite/cell body of a neuron
mechanical gated Na+/K+ ion channels and chemical gated Na+/K+ ion channels
if the neuron depolarized to threshold, what happens next
triggers the opening of the voltage gated Na+ channels and an action potential is produced
how do voltage gated Na+ channels open
in a domino effect
3 things that occur during repolarization
voltage gated Na+ channels close
voltage gated K+ channels open
Na+/K+ pumps pump ions against their gradient