General Physiology- Nursing
Physiology of excitable & Ionic basis of
resting membrane potential in nerve fibers
Prof Dr. Abeer Foad
Prof of Medical Physiology
Lecture Objectives
At the end of this lecture you will be able to:
1. Identify the excitable tissue
2. Identify the properties of nerve fibers
3. Define the resting membrane potentials
4. Explain the mechanisms of development of RMP in neurons
5. Explain the mechanism of action potential
6. Understand the types of conduction of nerve impuls
Contents
01 Excitable tissues
02Functions and properties of nerve fibers
03 Definition, Value, and Measurement of RMP
04 Causes of RMP in neurons
05 Causes of action potential
06 Propagation of action potential
Tissues that are capable of generating and propagating electrical signals (Action potential)
The term excitability refers to a tissue's ability to receive and respond to stimuli.
These stimuli can be:
- Electrical - Chemical - Mechanical - Thermal
In the body there are two main excitable tissues:
- Nervous tissue - Muscle ( skeletal, cardiac, smooth)
Excitable tissue responds to various stimuli by rapidly changing its resting membra
ne potential (RMP) to an action potential (AP)
Excitability is the ability of the nerve fibers to respond to stimuli
The effective stimulus will change the membrane condition from its
resting state (RMP) to an action potential
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Resting Membrane Potential (RMP)
Def.,
- It is the potential difference between the outside and inside of the nerve
fiber during rest.
Value:
- Is negative because the inner surface of the cell membrane is negatively
charged relative to the interstitial fluid
- Its value varies according to the excitable tissue:
o Nerves: -70 mV.
o Skeletal muscles: -90 mV.
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Causes of RMP
1. Distribution of Ions 2. Selective permeability 3. Na-K pump
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1) Distribution of ions inside and outside the cell:
• ECF: ICF ratio for Na+ ions is 10: 1
• ECF: ICF ratio for K+ ions is 1: 35
• ECF: ICF ratio for Cl- ions is 25: 1
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Diffusion of ions through the cell membrane
- Cell membrane contains ion channels that allow only specific ions to pass.
- There are 3 types of channels (leak or passive, voltage-gated, and ligand-gated)
Diffusion of ions through leak channels is the cause of RMP
Diffusion of ions through the cell membrane:
1. Cell membrane offers an absolute barrier to
proteins.
2. K+ ions diffuse from inside the cell to outside due
to:
i. Concentration gradient: (inside 30-40 times > outside).
ii. The high permeability of the membrane to K ions
(The main cause of RMP) The cell membrane is 100
times more permeable to K ions than to Na ions).
3. Na+ ions tend to diffuse from outside to inside
with difficulty according to concentration &
electrical gradient
4. Cl ions tend to diffuse from outside to inside
with difficulty due to their concentration
gradient
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K+ K+ K+ K+ ECF
+ + + + ++ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
------------------------------------
K+ K+
K+ K+ K+ K+
K+ K+
K+
K+
K+
K+ Pr- Pr-
Pr- Pr- Pr-
ICF 13
3) Na+ - K+ Pump:
- Na+-K+ ATPase or pump is an electrogenic
pump that pumps 3 Na+ ions outside the
cells and 2 K+ ions inside the cell.
- To maintain a high concentration of Na+ ion
outside, and a high concentration of K+ ion
inside the nerve cells.
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+++++++++++++++++++++++
------------------------------------- RMP or
Polarization state
Na+
-------------------------------------
+++++++++++++++++++++++ Depolarization
Action
Potential +++++++++++++++++++++++
-------------------------------------
K+ Repolarization
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A) Def.
• It is the electrical changes, that occur in the RMP as a result of
stimulation of nerve fiber by an effective stimulus
B) Phases of action potential
a) Depolarization
b) Repolarization
c) Redistribution of ions
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• The stimulus will open voltage-
gated Na+ channels
• So, ↑ the permeability of the cell
membrane (several hundred
folds) to Na ions
• Na ions diffuse inside ( Na+
influx) causing a change in the
membrane potential from the
resting potential (-70 mV) to
+35 mV, so there is a
During During
momentary reversal in polarity. RMP
depolarization repolarization
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• Repolarization results from the closure
of Na gates and opening of the
voltage-gated K channels, allowing K
ions to diffuse out of the cell (K efflux
or outflux).
• Diffusion of K ions outside returns the
inside of the membrane to its original -
ve potential l(-70 mV) i.e. restore the
RMP i.e. repolarization
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• After depolarization and repolarization, the ionic composition inside and outside
the cell membrane is slightly disturbed (more Na+ inside and more K+ outside).
• Redistribution of Na and K ions to the normal resting condition is established by
the Na-K pump which actively transports Na out and K into the cell.
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Depolarization Repolarization
(Na+ influx) (K+ efflux)
Redistribution
(Na+-K+ pump)
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• There are 2 types of propagation
I. Continuous conduction: in unmyelinated
neurons
II. Salutatory conduction: in myelinated
neurons
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22
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Continuous Conduction Salutatory Conduction
Site Unmyelinated nerve fibers Myelinated fibers
Speed 0.5 -2.0 m/sec Up to 120 m/sec
Energy More energy consumption Less energy consumption (1% of
continuous conduction)
Mechanism Occur Step-by-step or sweeping i.e. Occurs by jumping of impulses from
continuous conduction node to node i.e. salutatory (jumping)
conduction
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Neuroglial cells support and protect neurons
Neurons are about 100 billions in NS
Summary & Wrap up
Nerve fibers have 2 properties; excitability and
conductivity
RMP in nerve fibers is about – 70 mV
RMP is caused by distribution of ions, selective
permeability and Na-K pump
Questions
1. During depolarization:
a) Voltage activated Na+ channels open. 2. The main cause of resting membrane
b) The membrane becomes impermeable potential is:
to Na+. a) Na+ ions diffusion
c) The membrane potential increases b) Na+ - K+ pump
from – 70 mv to +10 mv c) K+ ions diffusion
d) K+ ions diffuse outside. d) Cl ions diffusion
4. Saltatory conduction:
3. The resting membrane
a)Occurs in unmyelinated nerve fibers.
potential in nerve fibers is
b)May reach up to 120 meters / second.
a) – 70 mV
c)Occurs by jumping from one neuron to
b) – 90 mV
another.
c) – 120 mV
d)Decreases gradually with distance till it
d) – 30 mV
disappears.
References
1. Costanzo, Linda S. "BRS Physiology (Board Review Series)."
(2018).
2. Ganong, William F. "Review of medical physiology." (2020).
THANK YOU