Mechanisms underlying the

action potential
Vin
The most important properties of the
action potential
Evoked by depolarization
Depolarization must exceed threshold
Obeys all-or-none law
Has an overshoot
Followed by refractory periods
Propagates without decrement
The major phases of the action
potential

Conductance changes during the
action potential
The Hodgkins cycle
Repolarisation
Ensured by the activation of K
+
channels and
the consequent K
+
efflux
Voltage-gated K
+
channels are NOT ESSENTIAL for
the repolarization to occur but they are useful as
they ensure much faster repolarisation, without
which, high frequency firing would be impossible.
The Na
+
/K
+
pump is NOT responsible for
repolarisation
the pump is responsible for long-term
maintenance of the electrochemical gradients
The refractory period
During the absolute refractory period, Na
+

channels are inactivated
During the relative refractory period, some
Na+ channels are available for activation, but
The still increased G
K
works against
depolarisation.
Timing of the refractory periods
Refractory phases
Are phases of diminished or decreased
excitability
They PREVENT the fusion of action potentials
BUT
PERMIT the propagation of separate impulses
The peak of an action potential is determined
by
the sodium equilibrium potential
the time course of sodium channel inactivation

The peak of an action potential approaches
the sodium Nernst-potential (~60mV)
Action potential propagates without
decrement
Because the AP in one region causes
depolarisation that triggers an AP in an
adjacent region or node
Thus the AP is refreshed as it passes through the
axon and does not decrease in intensity
Factors affecting conduction velocity
Size
Larger diameter axons have decreased internal
resistance, R
i

Myelination
Decreases the leakage of ions through the
membrane, increasing the membrane resistance,
R
m


=R
m
/R
i

Molecules that block voltage-gated
Na
+
channels
STX

TTX

Lidocaine