Introduction to

Physiology
Kamal Mohammad

Membrane
Ph.D. Human Physiology

potential and
Resting
membrane
potential

Faculty Of Medicine Dept.Of Physiology

 Membrane Potential
Membrane Potential : The difference in ionic

distribution between inside and outside of cells

which results in electrical potential difference

across the cell membrane.

Charged Substances in Body Fluids
Many molecules in our body fluids have electrical

charges due to the presence of negative groups (e.g.

phosphate, RCOO-) or positive groups such as RNH3+.

Also most mineral elements such as sodium, potassium,

chloride, and calcium (Na+, Cl-, K+, Ca++) present in our

body fluids as ions.
 Charged Substances in Body Fluids

Positive Charges Negative Charges

_
Cl
Na+
-
K + HCO3

Ca++ -
PO42
Mg++
Proteins
RNH3+
Fixed
Anion
Distribution of Main Charged Substances in Body
Fluids
_ _ _
Cl _ _
_ FIXED
_
Cl Cl _
Na+ K+ K+
_ _
Cl
_
_
+ + K+ K+ _
Cl Na K
_ FIXED
_
Cl _
Na+ Na+ _ _
+ Cl
_
K+
Na _
Na+ _ FIXED
_
_
_ _ _ K+
Na+ Na+ Cl Cl _
K+ K+
_ FIXED
_ _ _
_
_ FIXED
_ _
+ Cl Cl
Na Na+ K+ _
+
K K+

ECF CELL
Properties of Charged Chemicals

Distribution of various charges outside and

inside the cell play a significant role in cell

function. Excitable cells such as muscle and
nerve use this phenomenon to generate and
propagate electrical signals.
 Properties of Charged Chemicals

Like charges repel each other.

Electrical
This creates force at + Force
+
opposite direction
of each charge. _ Electrical
_
Force

Opposite charges attract each other.

Electrical
_
+ Force
Distribution of Charges
Distribution of Charges
The membrane potential is due to small excess of
negative ions inside of the cell and small excess of
positive ions outside of the cell.
The negative charges are attracted to the positive
charges and they form a thin layer of negative inside
and positive outside of the cell.

The rest of intracellular and extracellular fluid remain

neutral.
Resting Membrane potential
 In excitable cells the potential difference
between inside and outside of the cell during
rest is called “resting membrane potential”
RMP
 Measurement of RMP
The difference in potential across the cell

membrane can be measured by special device

called the cathode ray oscilloscope (voltmeter)
Using electrodes placed on the two sides of the

membrane
The magnitude of the RMP differs in different

types of cells , for example :-

In muscle cell = -90 m V


Membrane Potential Can be Measured
The potential difference across the cell membrane can
be measured using microelectrodes and a sensitive
voltmeter.
Causes of
RMP
 Membrane Potential
Non-gated K+
Channel
K+
Sodium potassium
leak channels

K+
Gated K+ 2 K+
Channel _ _
_
_ FIXED
_ ATP
Na+ Na+

3 Na+
Gated Na+
Channel
1. Selective permeability of the
membrane :

The resting cell membrane is 50-100 times

more permeable to K+ than to Na+

K+ tends to leak out side of the cell down its

concentration gradient, carrying positive

charge with it,

K+ moves easily but Na+ with difficulty why

?
1- the membrane Na+ channels are closed
under resting condition, while the K+ channels

are open (leak channels)

2-The Na+ channels are guarded by Ca2+ from

outside that form gates which repel Na+ and
prevent its entry under resting condition
(2) The Na -K pump
+ +

• It transmits 3 Na+ ions to the outside for each

2 K+ ions transmitted to the inside of the
membrane .
• This pump causing a potential difference
(creating negativity inside & positivity
outside).
• The pump is an active process
(3) Intracellular non diffusible anions

These anions include: Proteins and other

organic molecules in the cell.

 are negatively charged (anions),

can not cross the cell membrane therefore

this makes inside of the cell negative

These fixed anions does not pass through

the cell membrane due to:

1.Their large molecular weight

2.Repelling by proteins in the cell

membrane
 High resistance

_ _
_
_ FIXED
_
Development of
the RMP
(SUMMARY)
 Membrane permeability is greater for K+ than

to Na+ , thus more K+ leave the inside of the

The inside becomes negative
cells through the leak channels
while the out side becomes
 The Na+ -K+ pump causes more transport of

positive
the positive (3Na+) than to the inside (2K+).

 Most of the negative ions inside the nerve

fibers are non diffusible and remain inside

 ANY
Any Question

QUESTION
????????
 Answer the following question:

(1)What is the resting membrane potential

(2)How the membrane potential was

measured
(3)Factors responsible for genesis of the
resting membrane potential
(4)Discuss the role of the sodium potassium
pump in the genesis of the membrane
potential
THANK YOU