Action Potential

Jens Ellrich, MD, Dr. med. habil.

Professor of Medical Physiology
Center for Sensory-Motor Interaction, SMI
Department of Health Science and Technology
Faculty of Medicine
Aalborg University
Fredrik Bajers Vej 7D2
DK-9220 Aalborg
Denmark
e-mail: jellrich@hst.aau.dk

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Action Potential
Understand the basics of
electrochemical gradients in neurons.
Outline the ionic basis of
the resting membrane potential.
Outline the ionic basis of the action potential
with particular reference to potassium and sodium
ion channels.

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Electrical potential
Electrical potential is the potential energy per unit of charge associated with a
static electrical field measured in volts (U=W/Q).
Potential difference is a quantity related to the amount of energy that is
required to move an object from one place to another against various types of
forces.
Storage lake, Dam

Waterfall

Lake

+ potential difference
no flow

+ potential difference
flow

no potential difference
no flow

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Measurement of membrane potential

Deetjen et al., Physiologie, 2005

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Development of resting membrane potential

Deetjen et al., Physiologie, 2005

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Driving forces

Deetjen et al., Physiologie, 2005

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Distribution of major ions across a neuronal membrane

Species of ion

Intracellular
Concentration
(mmol/l)

Extracelluar
Concentration
(mmol/l)

K+

120

Na+

14

140

Cl-

120

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Equilibrium
Potential
(mV)

Jens Ellrich

Calculation of equilibrium potential (E):

Nernst Equation (Walter Nernst, 1888)

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Calculation of equilibrium potential (E):

Nernst Equation (Walter Nernst, 1888)

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Calculation of equilibrium potential (E) for Na+:

Nernst Equation (Walter Nernst, 1888)

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Distribution of major ions across a neuronal membrane

Species of ion

Intracellular
Concentration
(mmol/l)

Extracelluar
Concentration
(mmol/l)

Equilibrium
Potential
(mV)

K+

120

-89

Na+

14

140

60

Cl-

120

-89

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Driving forces of resting membrane potential

1. downhill diffusion of K+,

concentration gradient
2. uphill diffusion of K+,
electrical potential difference
3. active uphill transport of K+
4. active uphill transport of Na+
5. downhill diffusion of Na+
concentration gradient

Deetjen et al., Physiologie, 2005

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Selective ion channels

Deetjen et al., Physiologie, 2005

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Selective ion channels

and resting potential

Kandel et al., Principles of Neural Science, 2000

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Na+-K+ pump

active
electrogenic
continuous

emphasis on K+ leakage
100 times as permeable to K+

Guyton & Hall, Medical Physiology, 2006

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Na+-K+ pump

Stanfiled & Germann, Human Physiology, 2008

binding of Na+

phosphorylation

conformational change
release of Na+

binding of K+
triggering dephosphorylation

return to
original conformation

release of K+

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Contribution of different ions to resting membrane potential

Goldman(-Hodgkin-Katz voltage) equation

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Changes in membrane potential

Deetjen et al., Physiologie, 2005

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Operation of voltage-gated sodium channel

Stanfiled & Germann, Human Physiology, 2008

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Phases and ionic basis of an action potential

Stanfiled & Germann, Human Physiology, 2008

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

All-or-none law of action potential

Fox, Human Physiology, 2008

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Characteristics of voltage-gated Na+ and K+ channels

Guyton & Hall, Medical Physiology, 2006

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Phases and ionic basis of an action potential

Fox, Human Physiology, 2008

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Gating of Na+ and K+ channels during an action potential

Stanfiled & Germann, Human Physiology, 2008

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Refractory periods

Stanfiled & Germann, Human Physiology, 2008

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Refractory periods

Stanfiled & Germann, Human Physiology, 2008

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

Refractory periods

Stanfiled & Germann, Human Physiology, 2008

Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich

 Stanfield and Germann

Human Physiology
Pearson, 2008
Guyton and Hall
Medical Physiology
Elsevier, 2006
Deetjen, Speckmann, Hescheler
Physiologie
Elsevier, 2005
Fox
Human Physiology
McGraw-Hill, 2008
Medical Physiology & Experimental Pharmacology

Jens Ellrich