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Neuron Basics Notes
Neuron Basics Notes
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We’re going to start this unit with the anatomy of a nerve cell, called a neuron. This image
shows one neuron signaling a second neuron. Use Chapter 48 in your book to label the
diagram.
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Now, let’s take a closeup look at the membrane of a neuron.
On the left is a sodium potassium pump. On the right is an open potassium channel.
(click)
1. The sodium potassium pump uses energy to transport sodium out (arrow) and
potassium in.
2. Potassium channels allow potassium to flow back out.
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Researchers can place small electrodes inside the cell, and measure the difference
in charge across the membrane.
(click)
The difference in charge is called the membrane potential.
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Because of the pump, the concentration of sodium is high outside.
And because of the open potassium channels, the concentration of potassium ions is also a
bit high outside.
This means the inside of the cell is more negative than the outside, and an electrode will
measure the difference at about ‐70 millivolts. (draw)
This is called the RESTING membrane potential.
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So, let’s step back and see where we are. The pump and channel result in a plasma
membrane that is slightly negative on the inside by about ‐70 millivolts.
Nerve cells use this difference in order to send a signal from one end of the cell to another.
This signal is called an action potential.
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A strong depolarizing stimulus will cause the membrane to depolarize to a point
called the threshold, where the cell membrane is strongly depolarized and then
returns to resting potential within just a few milliseconds.
Soon I’ll give an example of what might cause a stimulus like that. But for right now,
let’s look at how an action potential is generated.
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The action potential is generated by two new membrane transporters we haven’t looked at
yet.
These are gated ion channels that are active in a normal nerve cell – the gated sodium
channel, and the gated potassium channel.
Both of these are voltage gated, meaning that they open and close in response to a change
in voltage.
Notice that the sodium channel actually has two gates – a conformational change, and an
inactivation loop.
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Let’s follow the phases.
When a membrane is at its resting potential, both channels are closed, and the membrane
is at its normal ‐70 millivolts.
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When the membrane is triggered to depolarize, some sodium channels open, allowing a bit
of sodium to enter.
This makes the inside of the membrane less negative.
If the potential increases enough to reach threshold, we go to the next step.
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A strong trigger will open all of the sodium channels in an area. This causes a larger rush of
sodium in, and the membrane becomes positive inside compared to the outside.
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The change of potential inside the membrane causes the gated potassium channels to
open and the sodium channels to close.
(circle)
This sudden change in permeability makes the inside more negative, so the voltage returns
toward resting.
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The potassium channels generally stay open a little longer than they need to, making the
membrane slightly more negative than resting.
This is called “undershoot,” or hyperpolarization.
This corrects as the channels all close, and the sodium‐potassium pump returns the ions to
their starting locations.
Be sure you can describe all five stages in an action potential before you continue.
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Remember that neurons are long cells, and a signal must travel the entire length.
An action potential usually begins near the head of the cell, or on the dendrites.
The rush of sodium across the membrane causes an automatic opening of the sodium
channels nearby.
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This triggers an action potential in this new area.
Meanwhile, the potassium channels open in the old location, and the membrane potential
returns to normal there.
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The action potential continues to move down the axon of the nerve, while the membrane
behind returns to its starting resting potential.
In this way, the signal travels without any external stimulus the entire length of the cell.
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Write out the answers to the following questions to study for the basics quiz.`
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