SCIN132

Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology

PhysioEx Lab Exercise 3
Neurophysiology of Nerve Impulses
NOTE: Please read and study chapter 9 in your text before you attempt this lab
exercise.
The neuron (page 256 of your text) is the functional cellular unit of the nervous
system. They are excitable cells that communicate by sending electrical
impulses (nerve impulses.) A typical neuron consists of a cell body
(containing the nucleus); dendrites that carry impulses to the cell body; and
an axon which carries impulses away from the cell body. The axon ends at
the axon terminal, which contains numerous vacuoles containing
neurotransmitters. When released into the synapse these neurotransmitters
bind with specific receptors on the post-synaptic membrane and may excite it
or inhibit it.
Because of the difference in concentration of ions between the inside and the
outside of the cell membrane of the neuron, there is a resting membrane
potential of -70 mv in humans. The inside is more negative than the outside.
Now look at a typical action potential. (See page 260) If a stimulus is
applied to a neuron, and is strong enough to depolarize it to the threshold
voltage (-55 mv in humans) then the action potential occurs. It has the
following phases: depolarizing phase; repolarizing phase; afterhyperpolarizing phase.
Activity 1: The Resting Membrane Potential. You will first determine the resting
membrane potential of the single (huge!) neuron in the Petri dish. You will
see how that potential depends on the concentration of both the sodium and
the potassium ions. You will also see that ion channels are involved in
determining the resting membrane potential.
Activity 3: The Action Potential: Threshold. Remember that if a neuron is
depolarized to its threshold voltage, then an action potential is
generatedall-or-noneand is conducted down the axon. You will
measure this threshold voltage in this activity.
Activity 5: Absolute and Relative Refractory Periods. Recall that it takes a
small amount of time after a neuron first depolarizes before it can respond a
second time. The absolute refractory period is the time period during which
it will NOT react a second time no matter how large the stimulus applied to it
is. During the relative refractory period, the neuron will react a second time
IF the second stimulus is large enough. You will study this phenomenon
during activity 5.

American Public
University System

June 2013

SCIN132
Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology
Exercise 3 Review
Definitions/Explanations
Neuron The functional cellular unit of the nervous system; also known as a nerve
cell.
Nerve A collection of more than one neuron. Many neurons combine to form
nerves like the sciatic nerve, femoral nerve or the ulnar nerve.
Threshold The minimal stimulus needed to elicit an action potential.
Sodium The major cation found outside the nerve cell or in the extracellular fluid.
Potassium The major cation found inside the nerve cell.
Resting Membrane Potential The term that refers to a membrane potential of
about -70mV.
Absolute Refractory Period The period when a cell membrane is totally
insensitive to additional stimuli, regardless of the stimulus force applied.
Depolarization Reversal of membrane potential due to an influx of sodium ions.
Important concepts
Neurons communicate with one another using nerve action potentials, also
called nerve impulses.
Generation of action potentials depends on the existence of a resting
membrane potential and the presence of voltage-gated channels for Na+ and
K+.
A typical value for the resting membrane potential (differences in electrical
charge across the plasma membrane) is -70mV. A cell that exhibits a
membrane potential is polarized.
The resting membrane potential arises due to an unequal distribution of ions on
either side of the plasma membrane and higher membrane permeability to
K+ than to Na+. The level of K+ is higher inside and the level of Na+ is
higher outside, a situation that is maintained by sodium-potassium pumps.
The ability of muscle fibers and neurons to respond to a stimulus and convert it
into action potentials is called excitability.
According to the all-or-none principle, if a stimulus is strong enough to
generate an action potential, the impulse generated is of a constant size.
During the refractory period, another action potential cannot be generated.
Nerve impulse conduction that occurs as a step-by-step process along an
unmyelinated axon is called continuous conduction. In salutatory conduction,
a nerve impulse leaps from one node of Ranvier to the next along a
myelinated axon.

American Public
University System

June 2013

SCIN132
Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology
Supplemental Learning Tools
See the following site for an animation illustrating the events which occur as an
action potential is propagated:
http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/matthews/actionp.html
See the following site for an animation illustrating the events which occur as an
action potential crosses over a synapse:
http://www.wisc-online.com/objects/ViewObject.aspx?ID=AP1201

American Public
University System

June 2013