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What is the relationship between myelin and the propagation speed of action potentials?
Wiki User
∙ 7y ago
Electrical signals travel faster in axons that are insulated with myelin. Myelin, produced by glial support cells, wraps around axons and helps electrical current flow down the axon (just like wrapping tape around a leaky water hose would help water flow down the hose).
Myelin insulation does not cover the entire axon. Rather there are breaks in the wrapping. These breaks are called nodes of Ranvier. The distance between these nodes is between 0.2 and 2 mm.
Action potentials traveling down the axon "jump" from node to node. This is called saltatory conduction which means "to leap." Saltatory conduction is a faster way to travel down an axon than traveling in an axon without myelin.
Wiki User
∙ 7y ago
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Do action potentials become weaker with distance?
action potentials are non-decremental and do not get weaker with distance.
What do intercalated discs transfer from cell to cell?
action potentials, ionic currents, the force of contraction and ionic currents and action potentials only
Why is the term action potential used to describe a nerve impulse?
It is a difference in charge supplied by ion position. In resting potential the tendency is for the inside of the cell membrane to have a negative ionic charge, while the outside of the membrane has a positive charge. The change, back and forth in these two charge potentials is the conduction of charge down the neuron and is called the action potential.
The cells of the retina in which action potentials are generated are the?
ganglion cells
What is the electrical message that travels along a neuron?
electrical signal
What is salutatory conduction?
Saltatory conduction refers to the propagation of action potentials along myelinated axons from one node of Ranvier to the next node. It increases the conduction velocity of action potentials.
What is the time between the action potentials?
Called an interspike interval
What is the functions of gap junction?
They allow the propagation of electrical impulses across the myocardium. They are responsible for electrochemical and metabolic coupling. They allow action potentials to spread between cardic cells by permitting the passage of ions between cells, producing depolarization of the heart muscle.
How action potential is propagated?
A.P. propagation consists of the movement of the action potential along the axon, axon terminals and dendrites. A.P. propagation is non-decremental meaning that the amplitude of the A.P. remains constant throughout the propagation. Action potentials are also follow the principle of all-or-none fashion. Meaning if there is not enough summation(adding of EPSPs and mEPPs) to bring the stimulus to threshold, then no AP will be elicited
Do action potentials become weaker with distance?
action potentials are non-decremental and do not get weaker with distance.
What do intercalated discs transfer from cell to cell?
action potentials, ionic currents, the force of contraction and ionic currents and action potentials only
Why is the term action potential used to describe a nerve impulse?
It is a difference in charge supplied by ion position. In resting potential the tendency is for the inside of the cell membrane to have a negative ionic charge, while the outside of the membrane has a positive charge. The change, back and forth in these two charge potentials is the conduction of charge down the neuron and is called the action potential.
How does an action potential differ from a graded potential?
Action potentials also known as spikes, differ from graded potentials in that they do not diminish in strength as they travel through the neuron.
Communication in the nervous system depends on?
action potentials
Where do most action potentials originate?
initial segment
A nerve impulse consists of a wave of?
Action Potentials
Does nervous tissue generate action potentials?
Yes.
