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The Nervous System
How Neurons Communicate
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Concept Version 7
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Nerve Impulse Transmission within a Neuron: Action Potential

Formation of an action potential

Formation of an action potential

The formation of an action potential can be divided into five steps. (1) A stimulus from a sensory cell or another neuron causes the target cell to depolarize toward the threshold potential. (2) If the threshold of excitation is reached, all Na+ channels open and the membrane depolarizes. (3) At the peak action potential, K+ channels open and K+ begins to leave the cell. At the same time, Na+ channels close. (4) The membrane becomes hyperpolarized as K+ ions continue to leave the cell. The hyperpolarized membrane is in a refractory period and cannot fire. (5) The K+ channels close and the Na+/K+ transporter restores the resting potential.

Source

    Boundless vets and curates high-quality, openly licensed content from around the Internet. This particular resource used the following sources:

    "OpenStax College, How Neurons Communicate. October 17, 2013."
    http://cnx.org/content/m44748/latest/Figure_35_02_03.png OpenStax CNX CC BY 3.0.

Related Terms

  • saltatory conduction
  • node of Ranvier
  • hyperpolarize
  • depolarization
  • action potential
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