2

Action Potential
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Red: Important
Black: In Male & Female slides
Blue: In male slides
Pink: In female slides
Gray: Notes & extra information
Objectives
01 Explain why some members are excitable

02 Describe the electrochemical basis of RMP

03 Describe the mechanism of generation and propagation of AP

04 Describe conduction along nerve fibers role of myelination and how nerve fibers are classified
 *‫اﻓﮭﻣوا اﻟﻣﺣﺎﺿرة زﯾن ﻷن ﺟزء ﻛﺑﯾر ﻣن اﻟطب ﺧﺎﺻﺔ‬

The Action Potential ‫اﻟﺟﮭﺎز اﻟﻌﺻﺑﻲ ﯾﻌﺗﻣد ﻋﻠﻰ ال‬

polarization and depolarization

Nerve signals are transmitted by action potentials, which are rapid changes in the membrane potential
that spread rapidly along the nerve fiber membrane to produce physiological effects such as:

01 Transmission of impulse along nerve fibers Each action potential begins with a sudden change
from the normal resting negative membrane potential
to a positive potential and ends with an almost
equally rapid change back to the negative potential
i.e. inside of the cell is negatively charged at rest until
02 Release of neurotransmitters
a stimulus triggers then:

1- ICF becomes positive

03 Muscle contraction 2- ECF becomes negative

then equilibrium occurs and the charges go back to

their normal state ( negative inside, positive outside )

04 Activation or inhibition of glandular secretion

 Stages of the Action Potential

Resting Stage Depolarization stage

01 It is the resting membrane potential 02 The membrane suddenly becomes permeable to
before the action potential begins. The Na+ ions, allowing tremendous numbers of
membrane is“polarized”. positively charged Na+ to diffuse to the interior of
the axon (Upstroke.) (‫)دﺧول طوﻓﺎن ﻣن اﻟﺻودﯾوم‬

Repolarization Stage
03 Na+ channels begin to close and the
04 Hyperpolarization Stage
(do not necessarily occur)
K+ channels open. Rapid diffusion of
For a brief period following repolarization, the
K+ ions to the exterior re-establishes
K+conductance is higher than at rest.
the normal negative resting
membrane potential. (Downstroke) Na +-K + ATPase pump now starts to move Na+ out &
K+ in against their concentration gradient.
 Stages of active potential
Efflux = Exit the cell
Influx = Enters the cell

Overview
1- Polarized It is passive transport 2- Depolarization It is passive transport
Resting membrane potential (RMP) (-70 m to -90 mV) ➔ Voltage gated Na+ channels are opened
● No action ➔ Na+ goes inside the cell
● Negative charge inside i.e influx of Na+
● Positive charge outside ➔ Positive charge inside, negative outside
( Clarified previously ) ● occurs after threshold stimulus

Polarized Depolarization Repolarization Hyperpolarization

3-Repolarization 4-Hyperpolarization
➔ Closure of voltage gated Na+ channels ➔ K+ tries to reestablish polarization
➔ Opening of voltage gated K+ channels ➔ K+ thus goes outside the cell rapidly
➔ K+ Goes rapidly outside the cell ➔ Cell will become extremely polarized (-94mV)
i.e efflux of K+ • Since Potassium is positive, efflux of potassium means less positive ➔ ( range is -70 to -90)
charge inside, this means that the cell will become negative again ‘repolarization’ ➔ Na+, K+ pump will make equilibrium and
repolarization occurs again It’s Active transport
The change that occurred in the cell voltage due to an stimulus
lead to the opening of these “ Voltage gated channels “
 stimulus

Depolarization comes from

the brains
highest center

That’s why it becomes

negative on the outside
and positive in the inside

Lots of Na+
goes inside
the cell ( more
Happens positivity
when the inside, less
curve positivity
surpasses the outside)
threshold
Occurs within stimulus
milliseconds
in curve, it
represents
the upward The threshold stimulus is
the weakest stimulus that
shift could generate an action
potential in a neuron
(Will be discussed in a bit)
 Repolarization
Animated explanation, click here! ‫( ﺑﻌدﯾن ﺗﺑدأ ﺗزﯾد‬٩٠ ‫ إﻟﻰ ﺳﺎﻟب‬٧٠ ‫ھو ﻓﻛرة اﻻﺳم أﻧﮫ ﺑﺎﻟﺑداﯾﺔ ﯾﻛون ﻗطﺑﯾﺗﮫ ﺳﺎﻟﺑﺔ )ﺳﺎﻟب‬
‫ﻣﺛﻼ‬
ً +٥٠) ‫)اﻟﺷﺣﻧﺔ اﻟﻣوﺟﺑﺔ ﺧﻼل ﺟزء ﻣن اﻟﺛﺎﻧﯾﺔ وﺑﺗﻛﻣل ﺗزﯾد وﺑﺗﺻﯾر ﻣوﺟﺑﺔ‬
repolarization ‫وﺑﻌدﯾن ﺑﺗرﺟﻊ ﺳﺎﻟﺑﺔ زي ﻣﺎﻛﺎﻧت ﻗﺑل وﻧرﺟﻊ ﻧﺳﻣﯾﮭﺎ‬

Voltage gated Na+ Hyperpolarization Na+ , K+ pump will

channels are closed
Rapid efflux of Repolarization may or may not If happened achieve equilibrium by
& established happen pumping 3 sodium ions
Voltage gated K+ K+ (Extreme amount K+ out and 2 potassium ions
Channels are opened outside) in

Extra

Animation Repolarization is the

downward shift in the curve

Notice that the upstroke indicates

depolarization, that’s when influx
of Na+ takes place. Since K+ is positive, Efflux of K+ means
Downstroke indicates K+ will carry its positive charge all the
way to the extracellular fluid, leaving
repolarization where the Na+
the intracellular fluid negative
channels are closed and K+ gates
are open for an efflux
(because when you reduce Hyperpolarization is when K+ is abundant
positive charge. you gain more net outside the cell which causes the cell to
become negative, yes. but not in the desired
negative charge) and that’s the range ( -70 to -90) hyperpolarization means
way it should be in a resting its potential surpassed -90 mV (Will be
membrane discussed in a bit though)
 Effects of stimuli
Quiz yourself on
threshold stimulus
Threshold Stimulus= (-55) here ( 2 questions )
To be more familiar with threshold, take this for
● The membrane potential at which occurrence of an example
the action potential is inevitable. ➔ Imagine a cat sleeping in the middle of a
● The minimum amount of stimulus that can street. there aren't any surrounding
voices that could make the cat show
produce excitation .
signs of fear, right? that’s where the
● ‫ﻧﻘطﺔ اﻟﻼﻋودة‬ membrane will be on rest.
➔ the cat heard a voice 50m away and he
All or Nothing Principle: started to feel disturbed. that’s where it
hits the subthreshold potential ( may or
● Once threshold value for excitation is reached a full action potential is produced may not show signs of fear)
➔ Suddenly, a car showed up in the street
Ex : it has a dominos effect : (once the first domino falls ( reaching the threshold) the rest
and it was fast, very fast to the point
of the line will automatically fall too (full action potential produced)
where the cat did hit the threshold
● action potential intensity CAN NOT be increased by increasing stimulus intensity stimulus and started to fear and that’s
when there is no going back. The cat
would immediately go away from the
street as a response to the stimuli (the
Acute Subthreshold Potential: threshold stimuli)
● Stimulus that results only in local depolarization when
stimulus is below the threshold (acute local potentials ) .

(Very weak stimulus to produce an excitation)

 Types of transport channels through
the nerve membrane local anesthetic Lidocaine blocks this channel

Anesthetic = painkiller

1-Voltage gated Na+ channels

● At rest, the activation gate is closed and the

Activation gate opens very quickly
inactivation gate is open.
●
● Inactivation gate closes very slowly
● During the upstroke (depolarization) of the action
potential, both gates are open and Na+ flows into
the cell down its electrochemical potential gradient.
● During repolarization ,the activation gate remains
open but the inactivation gate is closed.

During Rest Once there is an To achieve Voltage gated K+ Channels

action potential repolarization takes place

activation activation gates will Potassium must go out

(outside) gate open, more and more of the cell but before discussed in
will be closed sodium will enter and that, inactivation gate next slide
and Sodium more net positive of Na+ must close in
cannot cross the charge will be present order to prevent more
membrane inside the cell, right? Na+ to go inside
 Types of transport channels through
the nerve membrane

2-Voltage gated K+ channels

● Has one gate only

● at rest, the gate of the potassium channel is closed
and potassium ions are prevented from passing
through this channel to the exterior.
● Shortly after depolarization,when the sodium channel
begins to be inactivated, the potassium channel
opens.
● K+ exits (Efflux) i.e. Repolarization

1 2
Now as I said in the previous slide,
sodium inactivation gate will be closed
because if not, there will be no point in
Keep in mind that voltage
gated K+ channels have This stage occurs when
3
the efflux of K+ ( positive charges go in, only one channel the membrane potential
positive charges go out) what we want (intracellular gate) because hits a specific voltage ( for
is positive charges staying inside and its only goal is to reduce the example it increases from
positive charges going outside to positive charge by pumping -70 to +55)
reduce the net positive charge. out potassium Tetraethylammonium (TEA) blocks this channel
 Refractory Periods

Relative refractory period

Absolute refractory period
Can trigger new action potential if
The period during which a stimulus is very strong( higher than
second action potential cannot be the threshold).(at
elicited, even with a strong hyperpolarization)
stimulus (after threshold). ‫ھﻧﺎ ﻓﻲ ھذه اﻟﻣرﺣﻠﺔ ﻧﺳﺑﻲ ﻣﻌﻧﺎھﺎ ﯾﻌﺗﻣد ﻋﻠﻰ ﻗوة اﻟﺗﺣﻔﯾز إذا ﻛﺎن ﻗوي وﻛﺎﻓﻲ ﯾﺳﺗﺟﯾب‬

‫أﺻﻼ‬
ً ‫ﻋﻧد ھذه اﻟﻔﺗرة ﻣﮭﻣﺎ أﺣﻔز ﻣﺎراح ﯾﺗﻐﯾر ﺷﻲء وﻻ ﯾﺳﺗﺟﯾب ﻷﻧﮫ ﺷﻐﺎل‬
 Propagation of the action potential

Propagation of the action potential ( one of the most important features of the AP)

Propagation means continuously

moving in one direction
AP
‫إذا ﻣﺎ ﻣﺷﻰ ﻧطﻠق ﻋﻠﯾﮫ‬
local (‫)ﻣﻛﺎﻧﻲ‬
 Conduction Velocity
It is the speed at which action potentials are conducted (propagated) along
a nerve or muscle fiber.
Mechanisms that increase conduction velocity along a nerve:

Nerve diameter Myelination:

The larger the diameter, the faster the transmission, Myelin is an insulator that makes it more
Because:
-Large fiber offers Less resistance to local current flow & difficult for charges to flow between
more ions will flow. intracellular and extracellular fluids.

The layers of Schwann cell

membrane contain the lipid
substance sphingomyelin
‫اﻟﻘﻄﺮ اﻷﻛﺒﺮ ﯾﻤﺮر ﺳﯿﺎل‬ which is excellent electrical
‫وﺷﺤﻨﺎت أﻛﺜﺮ ﻛﺬﻟﻚ ﻣﺎ ﯾﺼﯿﺮ‬ Slower Faster insulator that decreases ion
‫ﻋﻨﺪي اﺻﻄﺪام و اﺣﺘﻜﺎك ﺑﯿﻦ‬ flow through the membrane.
‫اﻟﺸﺤﻨﺎت ﻓﻤﻤﻜﻦ ﺗﻠﻐﻲ ﺑﻌﺾ‬ (‫) ﻣﺳؤوﻟﺔ ﻋن ﺗﻛوﯾن ﻗطﻊ اﻟﻣﯾﻼﻧﯾن‬
‫ﻧﻔﺲ ﻣﺎ ﯾﺤﺪث ﺑﺎﻟﻘﻄﺮ اﻟﻀﯿﻖ‬

small uninsulated area where ions can flow with ease.

 Myelination Test your knowledge on action potential here!

Saltatory Conduction ( jumping )

It is the jumping of action potentials from one node of ranvier to the next as they propagate
along a myelinated fiber.
• Value:
1- Increases conduction velocity.
2- Conserves energy for axon because only nodes depolarize.

What happens if myelination is lost?

1- Multiple sclerosis (Usually young adults)
–Autoimmune disease (Immune system attacks the myelin sheaths surrounding axons as well as the axons themselves).
– Blindness, problems
‫ ـــ‬controlling muscles
2- Ultimately paralysis
3- Scar tissues (scleroses) replaces some damaged cells.
Normal reading Normal reading
- Affects the respiratory tracts muscles and can cause death

Clinical application:
electroencephalogram test (EEG): is a test used to find problems related to Abnormal reading (dead cell)
Abnormal reading ( ‫)ﺻرع‬
‫ﻓﻲ اﻟوﺿﻊ اﻟطﺑﯾﻌﻲ ﯾﺳﺗﺣﯾل أن ﺗظﮭر اﻟﻘراءة‬
electrical activity of the brain ‫ﺑﮭذا اﻟﺷﻛل ﺣﺗﻰ ﻋﻧد اﻟﻧوم‬ ‫ ﻣـو راﺿﯾﺔ ﺗﻘﻔل‬Na channels ‫ﻷن‬
 1- Polarized

S
Resting membrane potential (RMP) (-70 mV to -90 mV)
● No action
● Negative charge inside
Positive charge outside

U
●
( Clarified previously )

2- Depolarization

M ➔
➔
Voltage gated Na+ channels are opened
Na+ goes inside the cell
i.e influx of Na+

M
➔ Positive charge inside, negative outside
● occurs after threshold stimulus

3-Repolarization

A
➔ Closure of voltage gated Na+ channels
➔ Opening of voltage gated K+ channels
➔ K+ Goes rapidly outside the cell
i.e efflux of K+ • Since Potassium is positive, efflux of potassium means less positive

R
charge inside, this means that the cell will become negative again ‘repolarization’

4-Hyperpolarization
➔ K+ tries to reestablish polarization

Y
➔ K+ thus goes outside the cell rapidly
➔ Cell will become extremely polarized (-94mV)
➔ ( range is -70 to -90)
➔ Na+, K+ pump will make equilibrium and repolarization occurs
again
QUIZ!
MCQs SAQ
Q1: Relative refractory period can trigger new action potential if stimulus is ………? Q1: Name two benefits of the Saltatory Conduction?

A) Equal to the threshold B) Lower than the threshold C) after threshold D) higher than the threshold
Q2: Speaking of the activation and inactivation
gates of voltage gated Na+ channels, which gate
Q2 : The layers of Schwann cell membrane contain which lipid substance? opens quickly and which one does closes slowly?

A) Phospholipids B) steroids C) sphingomyelin D) glycolipids

Q3 : A term used when there is a stimulus which is not sufficient enough to produce an action potential
6) C
5) C

response (local effect)

4) B
3) B
2) C
1) D
A) Threshold B) Subthreshold C) All or Nothing D) A and B
MCQs key answer :

Q4 : Which of the following effluxes in respond to repolarization stage

2) Activation gate opens quickly, inactivation gate closes slowly
A) Calcium B) Potassium C) Sodium D) B and C
2- Conserves energy for axon because only nodes depolarize.
1)1- Increases conduction velocity.
Q5 : When talking about action potential, which one of these stages is not a necessarily occuring stage? SAQ answer key :

A) Depolarization B) Repolarization C) Hyperpolarization D) Polarization

Q6 :which nerve has the highest velocity ?

A) unmyelinated nerve with B) unmyelinated nerve with large C) myelinated nerve D) unmyelinated nerve with
small diameter length small length
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