Action Potential
Many of you probably wonder about the blog title and blog description and don’t know what it is referring to. In basic terms, action potential is an electrical potential (ie voltage) that is reached by a neuron cell such that the neuron is then capable of transmitting electrical signal to other neurons. A neuron at resting state has a resting potential. As sodium ion channels began to open, they allow the neuron’s resting potential to become more positive (depolarization). When a neuron reaches a threshold potential, it will “fire” an action potential. All this means is that now, more sodium ion channels are fully activated. After the action potential, the neuron must return to its resting potential in order to fire again. This is controlled by the potassium ion channels, which help hyperpolarize the neuron. During the period of potassium ion channel activation, sodium ion channels are inactivated in such as way that they are unable to pass current. The most important aspect about the electrophysiology of a neuron is that sodium goes out of the neuron and potassium goes into the neuron; both flowing in the direction of the electrochemical gradient.
How a neuron communicate with each other is through action potentials. Action potentials will allow a neuron to release neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters will then either excite the surrounding neurons, or inhibit the surrounding neurons’ activity. Inhibitory neurons reduce the chance of firing an action potential by hyperpolarizing other neurons. It is just as important to have inhibitory neurons as well as excitatory neurons.
Thus, when your neurons starts to trigger (or fire) action potential, other neurons are also firing as a result. Interestingly, information generated by neurons is usually encoded in the frequency of the action potential and not in the amplitude of the action potential.
This is a gross overview of cellular neurobiology; however, you now know that your body sends information via electrical signals. Thus, every time your muscle move, or your heart beats, it’s caused by electricity generated by cells.
Many of you probably wonder about the blog title and blog description and don’t know what it is referring to. In basic terms, action potential is an electrical potential (ie voltage) that is reached by a neuron cell such that the neuron is then capable of transmitting electrical signal to other neurons. A neuron at resting state has a resting potential. As sodium ion channels began to open, they allow the neuron’s resting potential to become more positive (depolarization). When a neuron reaches a threshold potential, it will “fire” an action potential. All this means is that now, more sodium ion channels are fully activated. After the action potential, the neuron must return to its resting potential in order to fire again. This is controlled by the potassium ion channels, which help hyperpolarize the neuron. During the period of potassium ion channel activation, sodium ion channels are inactivated in such as way that they are unable to pass current. The most important aspect about the electrophysiology of a neuron is that sodium goes out of the neuron and potassium goes into the neuron; both flowing in the direction of the electrochemical gradient.
How a neuron communicate with each other is through action potentials. Action potentials will allow a neuron to release neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters will then either excite the surrounding neurons, or inhibit the surrounding neurons’ activity. Inhibitory neurons reduce the chance of firing an action potential by hyperpolarizing other neurons. It is just as important to have inhibitory neurons as well as excitatory neurons.
Thus, when your neurons starts to trigger (or fire) action potential, other neurons are also firing as a result. Interestingly, information generated by neurons is usually encoded in the frequency of the action potential and not in the amplitude of the action potential.
This is a gross overview of cellular neurobiology; however, you now know that your body sends information via electrical signals. Thus, every time your muscle move, or your heart beats, it’s caused by electricity generated by cells.
