Nerve (Ganong)

Monday, 14 October 2019 10:23 PM

If the extracellular level of K+ is increased (hyperkalemia), the resting potential moves closer to the
threshold for eliciting an action potential and the neuron becomes more excitable. If the extracellular
level of K+ is decreased (hypokalemia), the membrane potential is reduced and the neuron is
hyperpolarized.

notably Ca2+, can affect the membrane potential through both channel movement and membrane
interactions. A decrease in extracellular Ca2+ concentration increases the excitability of nerve and
muscle cells by decreasing the amount of depolarization needed to initiate the changes in the Na+ and
K+ conductance that produce the action potential. Conversely, an increase in extracellular Ca2+
concentration can stabilize the membrane by reducing excitability

Local potential Action potential

Nature of Sub-threshold Threshold or supra
stimulus threshold
Types of Graded: depending on the strength of stimulus; May Fixes amplitude;
Potential change be positive or negative; excitatory or inhibitory Always positive
Propagation Conducted over short distance with a reduction of Conducted over entire
magnitude of potential cell membrane
Summation Can be summated Can not be summated.

Astrocytes are found throughout the brain and are

subdivided into two groups. Fibrous astrocytes are
found primarily in white matter and contain many
intermediate filaments; protoplasmic astrocytes
are found in gray matter and have a granular
cytoplasm. Both types of astrocytes send processes
to blood vessels, where they induce capillaries to
form the tight junctions making up the blood-brain
barrier. They also send processes that envelop
synapses and the surface of nerve cells.
Protoplasmic astrocytes have a membrane
potential that varies with the external K+
concentration but do not generate propagated
potentials. They produce substances that are tropic
to neurons, and they help maintain the appropriate
concentration of ions and neurotransmitters by
taking up K+ and the neurotransmitters glutamate
and γ-aminobutyrate (GABA