ACTION POTENTIAL

• DR.SWAPNA APTE

Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings

 R.M.P

Depends on
• Semipearmeability of membrane
• Na+-K+ pump
• Nernst potential
• GHK EQUATION
• Gibbs donnan membrane equilibrium

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Electrical Signals:
Ionic Concentrations and Potentials

• Nernst & GHK Equations predict

• Membrane potential
• Cell concentration gradients
• [Na+, Cl- & Ca2+] higher in ECF
• [K+] higher ICF

PLAY Animation: Nervous System I: The Membrane Potential

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Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Neuronal firing: the action potential

• The action potential is a rapid depolarization

of the membrane.
• It starts at the axon hillock and passes quickly
along the axon.
• The membrane is quickly repolarized to allow
subsequent firing.

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The Action Potential

• The action potential is “all-or-none”.

• It is always the same size.
• Either it is not triggered at all - e.g. too little
depolarization, or the membrane is “refractory”;
• Or it is triggered completely.

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STAGES OF ACTION POTENTIAL

• Resting
• Depolarization
• Overshoot
• Repolarization
• Hyperpolarization

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Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Ions and the Resting Potential

• Ions are electrically-charged molecules e.g. sodium (Na+),

potassium (K+), chloride (Cl-).
• The resting potential exists because ions are concentrated on
different sides of the membrane.
• Na+ and Cl- outside the cell.
• K+ and organic anions inside the cell.

Na+ Na+ Cl- Na+ Na+ Cl-

outside

Organic anions (-) inside

K +
Organic anions (-)
K+ Organic anions (-)
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Action potentials: Rapid depolarization

• When partial depolarization reaches the activation threshold,

voltage-gated sodium ion channels open.
• Sodium ions rush in.
• The membrane potential changes from -90mV to +35mV.

Na+

Na+
Na
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+
Action Potential Stages: Overview

Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings Figure 8-9: The action potential
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Membrane & Channel Changes during an
Action Potential

Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings Figure 8-10: Model of the voltage-gated channel Na+
Action potentials: Repolarization

• Sodium ion channels close and become refractory.

• Depolarization triggers opening of voltage-gated potassium ion
channels.
• K+ ions rush out of the cell, repolarizing and then hyperpolarizing
the membrane.

+
Na+ K+
K
+

Na +
Na+
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Depolarization/Repolarization

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Maintaining the Resting Potential

• Na+ ions are actively transported (this uses energy) to

maintain the resting potential.
• The sodium-potassium pump (a membrane protein)
exchanges three Na+ ions for two K+ ions.

Na + Na+
Na+
outside

inside
K+
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K+
Opening of sodium channels

• Eg. Of positive feedback mechanisim.

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Effect of other ions

• Calcium----- decrease ecf----tetany

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Effect of anaesthetic agents

• Stabilize the cell membrane .

• ACT ON ACTIVATION GATES.
• Reducing excitability.
• Other memb . Stabilizers.
• 1) high ecf calcium ion conc.
• 2) high ecf potassium ion conc.

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Recording of AP

• CATHODE RAY OSCILLOSCOPE

BIPH ASIC ACTON POTENTIAL IS RECORDED

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Properties of action potential

• Threshold stimulus
• All or none response
• Refractory period
• Conductivity
• Accomodation
• Electrotonic potentials-graded potential

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 STRENGTH-DURATION CURVE
STRENGTH

2 X RHEOBASE

RHEOBASE

UTILISATION TIME
CHRONAXIE

TIME
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 RHEOBASE- minimum current required to
produce action potential.

UTILIZATION TIME- time taken for response

when rheobase current is applied.

CHRONAXIE- time taken for response when

twice rheobase current is applied. It is a
measure of excitability of tissues.

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III. ALL OR NONE RESPONSE

The action potential doesn’t occur in a nerve if the

stimulus is sub-threshold. If the stimulus is
threshold and above, the action potential
produced will be of same amplitude, regardless of
intensity of stimulus.

*.

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 IV.REFRACTORY PERIOD
1) Absolute refractory period-
it is the period during an action potential, during
which a second stimulus can’t produce a response.

2) Relative refractory period-

it is the period during an action potential, during
which a stimulus of higher intensity can produce a
second response

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II. CONDUCTIVITY

Action potential is self-propagative

Conduction may orthodromic or antidromic
In axon, conduction is towards terminal buttons
physiologically.
In myelinated nerves, conduction is saltatory
type.
For propogation – ratio of AP to threshold of
excitation >1. safety factor

Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings

Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
V.ACCOMODATION

• When a stimulus is applied very slowly, no matter

however strong it might be, it fails to produce an
action potential.
• Cause: a slowly applied stimulus causes slower
opening of Na+ channels with concomitant
opening of K+ channels. The influx Na+ of is
balanced by efflux of K+ .

Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings

LOCAL RESPONSE

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ELECTROTONIC POTENTIAL ACTION POTENTIAL

Produced due to application of Produced due application of threshold

subthreshold stimulus stimulus

It is a local response Propagative type of response

It is a graded response All or nothing response

It has no latent period It has a latent period

It has no refractory period It has a refractory period

Not affected by hypoxia, anaesthesia Not produced during hypoxia,

anaesthesia

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Trigger Zone: Cell Integration and Initiation of AP

• Excitatory signal: depolarizes, reduces threshold

• Inhibitory signal: hyperpolarizes, increases
threshold

PLAY Animation: Nervous System I: The Action Potential

Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Graded Potentials
• Incoming signals
• Vary in strength
• Lose strength over distance
• Are slower than action potentials (AP)
• Travels to trigger zone
• Subthreshold –
• Too weak
• No generation of AP
• Suprathreshold – generate AP

PLAY Animation: Nervous System I: Ion Channels

Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Graded Potentials

Figure 8-7: Graded potentials

decrease in strength as they spread
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Applied

• Useful in
1) EEG – DIAGNOSIS OF BRAIN DISEASE.
2)ECG - HEART
3) NCV- NERVE STUDIES ,NEUROPATHIES
4)EMG- MYOPATHIES

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