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The resting membrane potential is the difference between the inside of the cell relative to the outside. The outside is always taken as 0mv. The resting membrane potential is negative because there is a higher concentration of potassium ions outside the cell (because the membrane is more permeable to potassium ions) than inside. Since potassium ions are positively charged this leads to a negative value.

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How is the resting potential different from repolarization?

The resting potential is the stable membrane potential of a cell at rest, typically around -70mV. Repolarization refers to the return of the membrane potential to its resting value after depolarization, where the cell becomes more negative again due to potassium channels opening.


What characterizes repolarization the second phase of the action potential?

Repolarization is the phase in which the cell membrane potential returns to its resting state after depolarization. This is driven by the efflux of potassium ions, resulting in the membrane potential becoming more negative. Repolarization is essential for the heart to reset and prepare for the next action potential.


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 would happen to a resting membrane potential if the concentration of a large intracellular anions that are unable to cross the membrane experimentally is increased?

If the concentration of large intracellular anions..i.e. proteins, which are unable to cross the membrane due to their large size.. were to increase, the resting potential would reach a more negative state, a deviation from -70mV to a more negative value do to these anions.


What characterize repolarization the second phase of the action potential?

Repolarization is the phase in which the cell's membrane potential returns to its resting state after depolarization. This is achieved through the efflux of potassium ions from the cell, restoring the negative internal charge. Repolarization is essential for maintaining the cell's ability to generate subsequent action potentials.


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.


Influx of Na plus till 70mV?

The electrical potential difference across a cell membrane (the resting potential) is around -65 mV, inside negative. In nerve cells (neurones) or muscle cells this potential difference is reversed during an action potential. Sodium (Na+) channels open and Na+ ions enter the cell down their concentration gradient. This entry of positive charge depolarises the membrane ie it cancels out the resting pootential and then reverses it, so the potential becomes positive inside and negative outside, giving a potential of about +50mV.


Are myocardial cells negative or positive in their resting state?

negative at a resting value of -70mV


What characterizes depolarization the first phase of the action potential?

Depolarization is the initial phase of the action potential characterized by a rapid influx of sodium ions into the cell, causing a change in membrane potential from negative to positive. This occurs when voltage-gated sodium channels open in response to a threshold stimulus, leading to the depolarization of the cell membrane.


What effect does potassium have on the resting potential of a cardiac cell?

Hyperkalemia is an increase in extracellular K. Driving force of an ion depends on two factors, voltage and concentration gradient. For K voltage gradient is pushing K into the cell but the concentration gradient is driving K out of the cell. However, the total driving force for K is out of the cell because the concentration gradient is that strong. When there is an increase in K on the outside, the driving force for K decreases.The equilibrium potential for K is -95mV. This means if K was freely permeable to the cell's membrane, it would reach equilibrium at -95mV. Another way to look at this is that efflux of K is the same as influx of K and the cell's new resting membrane potential would increase from a normal value of -70mV to -95mV. Note that I said it would increase even though the value became more negative. This is because the change in membrane potential has increased.Since the driving force of K has decreased, the equilibrium potential has also decreased. From a value of -95mV it is decreased to let's just say -80mV. Since a normal resting membrane potential is regularly -70mV, the decrease in equilibrium potential of K has decreased this resting membrane potential to say -60mV now. This is a depolarization of the cell.If this process happens quickly, it will depolarize the cell to the threshold value and you will have an action potential. However, if the hyperkalemia is severe, the cell will stay depolarized because the K equilibrium has decreased to a point where the cell cannot hyperpolarize back to threshold or resting membrane potential.If this process happens slowly, the inactivation gates of the sodium voltage-gated channels will automatically shut and the cell cannot depolarize even if it reaches threshold values. It must hyperpolarize back to resting membrane potential and the inactivation gates of the sodium voltage-gated channel will reopen.


What is the value for the resting membrane potential for most neurons?

The resting membrane potential for most neurons is around -70 millivolts. This negative charge inside the cell compared to the outside is maintained by the unequal distribution of ions across the cell membrane, with higher concentrations of potassium ions inside the cell and sodium ions outside.


Why is the resting membrane potential the same value in both the sensory neuron and the interneuron?

The resting membrane potential is typically around -70mV in both sensory neurons and interneurons due to the presence of ion channels that maintain this voltage by allowing specific ions to flow in and out of the cell. This stable membrane potential allows for rapid and efficient communication between different types of neurons in the nervous system.