Electrical Signals of Nerve Cells - How ion movements produce electrical signals
5 important questions on Electrical Signals of Nerve Cells - How ion movements produce electrical signals
Why are electrical potentials generated across the membranes of neurons and of all cells?
- There are differences in the concentrations of specific ions across nerve cell membranes.
- These membranes are selectively permeable to some of these ions.
Why what are the concentration gradients established?
- By active transporters
- By ion channels
What is the function of ion channels?
- Allow ions to diffuse down concentration gradient.
- Are selectively permeable to certain ions.
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What happens at the electrochemical equilibrium?
There is an opposing electrical gradient that increasingly tends to stop K+ from moving across the membrane. How is this significant in two ways?
- It means that the concentrations of permeant ions on each side of the membrane remain essentially constant, even after the flow of ions has generated the potential.
- The tiny fluxes of ions required to establish the membrane potential do not distrubt chemical electroneutrality, because each ion has an oppositely charged counter-ion to maintain the neutrality of the solutions on each side of the membrane.
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