Home > Nervous System I > The Membrane Potential

Introduction (Page 1 of 17) Goals (Page 2 of 17) The Concentration of Ions Differs Inside and Outside the Cell (Page 3 of 17) Cells Exhibit Selective Permeability (Page 4 of 17) Permeability Depends on the Number of Ion Channels (Page 5 of 17) Permeability Can Change Rapidly When Gated Ion Channels Are Opened (Page 6 of 17) K+ Diffuses Down Its Concentration Gradient (Page 7 of 17) Outward Diffusion of K+ Creates an Electrical Potential (Page 8 of 17) The Electrical Potential Opposes Diffusion of K+ out of the Cell (Page 9 of 17) The Equilibrium Potential for K+ (Page 10 of 17) The Electrochemical Gradient for Na+ Drives It Into the Neuron (Page 11 of 17) The Resting Membrane Potential in Neurons Depends on Na+ and K+ (Page 12 of 17) K+ Leaks out of the Neuron and Na+ Leaks in (Page 13 of 17) The Neuron Must Compensate for K+ and Na+ Leaks (Page 14 of 17) The Na+-K+ Pump Maintains the Resting Membrane Potential (Page 15 of 17) Summary (Page 16 of 17) Textbook References (Page 17 of 17)