Action Potentials and

Saltatory Conduction
A2 Biology

Learning Objectives
Understand how a resting potential is
established across a Neurone membrane
Understand how an action potential
propagates along a neurone
Understand the mechanism of saltatory
conduction

Neurones Basic Cell Structure

Generating Resting Potential

In the membrane of neurone cells is an
active co-transporter protein
This transports 3 sodium ions out of the
cell
for every 2 potassium ions into the cell
This sets up a potential difference
between the inside and outside of the cell
of around -65mV
This is called the resting potential

Depolarisation
When an nerve impulse travels along a neurone
it causes the membrane to depolarise
This process begins with a stimulus at the
synapse which causes a change in potential
difference across the cell membrane
This process is called Action Potential
Propagation
For the depolarisation to begin the change in PD
must be greater than a certain Threshold
Potential

All or Nothing Effect

Once the Threshold potential is reached a
wave of depolarisation begins
The depolarisation will only occur if the
threshold potential is reached
It will only travel in one direction
And will be of the same intensity
This is known as the All or Nothing
Effect either the neurone fires or it
doesnt

Membrane Potential: Depolorisation

Once the neurone fires a voltage gated
sodium channel in the membrane opens
Sodium ions flow from outside the cell to
inside and the membrane potential rises to
about +40mV

Membrane Potential: Repolarisation

At this point the Sodium channel shuts
and a voltage gated potassium channel is
opened
Potassium ions flow from inside the cell to
outside the cell and the membrane
potential falls to about -80mV
This point is called hyper-polarisation

Restoration of Resting Potential

Now both the potassium and sodium
channels are close the sodium/potassium
pump begins to restore the resting
potential
The Action potential then continues along
the cell membrane
The nerve cant fire again until the resting
potential is reached this is called the
refractory period

Flash Animation Link

http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/matth
ews/channel.html

Non Myelnated Neurones

Some animals like squid have
unmyelinated neurones
In these organisms the action potential
ravels along the whole length of the
membrane
This requires large neurones and the
signal travels slowly and degrades quickly

Myelinated Neurones
In humans and many other animals the
neurones are surrounded by a Myelin
sheath
This Myelin sheath is created by a
specialised cell called a Schwann Cell
Only certain points known as Nodes of
Ranvier are exposed from under the
Myelin

Saltatory Conduction
In Myelinated Neurones depolarisation
only occurs at the Nodes of Ranvier
As each node depolarises it creates an
ionic current between the depolarised
Node and the next polarised/resting node
This causes the threshold potential to be
reached and the next node depolarises
Saltatory comes from the Latin Saltare
meaning to Jump

Saltatory Conduction Benefits

Neurones that use Saltatory conduction
are able to be much thinner
The action potentials also travel much
faster up to 200 m/s and loose far less
energy