answersLogoWhite

0

The relative concentration of sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) in the neuron with respect to their concentration in the extracellular space is what causes the electrical potential and the differential concentration is established by a Na-K Atpase which exudes sodium and transports potassium into the neuron.

User Avatar

Wiki User

16y ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about Biology

How does potassium affect the resting membrane potential of the cardiac cell?

Potassium plays a crucial role in maintaining the resting membrane potential of cardiac cells. It helps establish the negative charge inside the cell by moving out of the cell through potassium channels. This outward movement of potassium ions contributes to the polarization of the cell membrane, creating a negative resting membrane potential.


What is the role of the potassium leak channel in maintaining the resting membrane potential of a neuron?

The potassium leak channel helps maintain the resting membrane potential of a neuron by allowing potassium ions to move out of the cell, which helps balance the positive and negative charges inside and outside the cell. This helps keep the neuron at its resting state, ready to send signals when needed.


What effect did increasing the extracellular potassium have on the resting membrane potential?

Increasing the extracellular potassium concentration can depolarize the resting membrane potential, making it less negative. This can lead to increased excitability of the cell.


Electrical charge resulting from the difference between positive and negative ions outside and inside the brain cell membrane is called?

This electrical charge is called the resting membrane potential. It is generated by the unequal distribution of ions such as sodium, potassium, chloride, and calcium inside and outside the cell. The resting membrane potential plays a crucial role in cell communication and proper functioning of the nervous system.


What will happen to a person's resting membrane potential if they take potassium enhanced intravenous solution?

A potassium enhanced intravenous solution would increase the concentration of potassium ions in the brain. Since potassium ions are positively charged, they depolarize the resting membrane potential. For example, a resting membrane potential of -65 millivolts would be depolarized to -62 millivolts. An appropriate concentration could lead to a significant depolarization of, say, -60 millivolts, at which point an action potential could be possible.

Related Questions

How does potassium affect the resting membrane potential of the cardiac cell?

Potassium plays a crucial role in maintaining the resting membrane potential of cardiac cells. It helps establish the negative charge inside the cell by moving out of the cell through potassium channels. This outward movement of potassium ions contributes to the polarization of the cell membrane, creating a negative resting membrane potential.


The membrane-bound enzyme system that restores and maintains the resting membrane potential is what pump?

The membrane-bound enzyme system responsible for restoring and maintaining the resting membrane potential is the sodium-potassium pump. It actively transports sodium ions out of the cell and potassium ions into the cell against their concentration gradients to establish the resting membrane potential.


What system keeps the neuron at resting potential?

The sodium-potassium pump is responsible for maintaining the resting membrane potential of a neuron by actively pumping sodium ions out of the cell and potassium ions into the cell, against their concentration gradients. This creates an imbalance of ions across the membrane, contributing to the resting potential of the neuron.


Why is there a resting membrane potential across the cell membrane?

sodium/potassium pump


Why the resting membrane potential of erythrocyte is more negative?

The resting membrane potential of erythrocytes is more negative due to the higher permeability of the plasma membrane to potassium ions compared to sodium ions. Potassium ions have a negative resting potential, so when they move out of the cell more readily than sodium ions move in, it results in a more negative membrane potential. This is important for maintaining the cell's shape and functions.


What determines the value of Resting membrane potential?

The resting membrane potential is determined by the concentration gradient of ions across the cell membrane, specifically sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), and chloride (Cl-). The uneven distribution of these ions maintained by ion pumps and channels sets up an electrical charge across the membrane, leading to a negative resting potential. The sodium-potassium pump plays a key role in establishing and maintaining this potential.


What is the role of the potassium leak channel in maintaining the resting membrane potential of a neuron?

The potassium leak channel helps maintain the resting membrane potential of a neuron by allowing potassium ions to move out of the cell, which helps balance the positive and negative charges inside and outside the cell. This helps keep the neuron at its resting state, ready to send signals when needed.


Through the membrane of a resting neuron highly permeable to potassium ions its membrane potential does not exactly match the equilibrium potential for potassium because the neuronal membrane is?

The neuronal membrane also has ion channels for other ions besides potassium, such as sodium or chloride, that can influence the resting membrane potential. These other ions contribute to the overall equilibrium potential of the neuron, which affects its resting membrane potential. Additionally, the activity of Na+/K+ pumps helps establish and maintain the resting membrane potential, contributing to the slight difference from the potassium equilibrium potential.


Why resting membrane potential value sodium is closer to equilibrium of potassium?

The resting membrane potential value for sodium is closer to the equilibrium of potassium because the sodium-potassium pump actively maintains a higher concentration of potassium inside the cell and a higher concentration of sodium outside the cell. This leads to a higher permeability of potassium ions at rest, resulting in the resting membrane potential being closer to the equilibrium potential of potassium.


What effect did increasing the extracellular potassium have on the resting membrane potential?

Increasing the extracellular potassium concentration can depolarize the resting membrane potential, making it less negative. This can lead to increased excitability of the cell.


Which channel is mainly responsible for the resting potential of a neuron?

The sodium-potassium pump is mainly responsible for establishing and maintaining the resting potential of a neuron. It actively transports sodium ions out of the cell and potassium ions into the cell against their concentration gradients, contributing to the overall negative membrane potential.


The chief positive intracellular ion in a resting neuron?

The chief positive intracellular ion in a resting neuron is potassium (K+). At rest, the neuron has a higher concentration of K+ inside its cell membrane compared to outside. This creates a negative membrane potential, which is crucial for maintaining the resting state of the neuron.