Resting and Action Potential Flashcards
There are chemicals Na+ and K+ inside and outside a cell. During resting potential, which chemical leaves the cell?
K+ ions are greater inside the cell, and are released because the K+ channel is open during resting potential.
What is the concentration gradient?
When the concentration of positively charged ions gets too great inside the cell, the excess is released.
What is the electrical gradient?
When the amount of positively charged ions gets too great outside the cell, the electrical gradient tries to drive the K+ ions back inside the cell.
During Resting Potential are the K+ and Na+ channels open?
Na+ channels are closed and K+ channels are open.
What is depolarization?
Reduction in the electrical difference between the inside and outside of the cell.
What is Action Potential?
When the threshold of around -40mz (gets close to zero) is reached, the Na+ channels will open in order to bring the threshold back down to around -80mz. Action potential is rapid depolarization.
During the refactory state, what happens to depolarization?
It is blocked. This is different from when the channels are closed.
What three states can the Na+ channels be in?
Closed, open and refactory. During the refactory state, for a short period of time, those cells will stay closed even if we reach the -60mv. Which is enough time for the action potential to reach -80.
