LECTURE NO (2) Nerve Physiology

Elnagi Yousif Hago

Lecturer Of Physiology

Membrane
potential
and
Resting
membrane
potential
Faculty Of Medicine Dept.Of Physiology
Objectives:-
By the end of this lecture the students should be able
to:
1. Understand the membrane potential
2. Define the resting membrane potential
3. Describe the way by which the membrane
potential was measured
4. Outline the factors responsible for genesis of
membrane potential
 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.
Units of this potential are volts (millivoltes)

o
_
+

Voltmeter

_
+0
CELL
 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.

Positive Charges Negative Charges

_
Na + Cl

-
K+ HCO3

Ca++ -
PO42 & Organic anions
Mg++
Proteins
RNH3+
Fixed Anions
 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.
Electrical
Like charges repel each other. + Force
+
This creates force at opposite direction
of each charge. _ Electrical
_
Force

Opposite charges attract each other. Electrical

_
The force of attraction between these + Force
charges has the potential of creating
force and hence performing work. This is
called electrical potential.
 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.
 Electrical Current
The movement of electric charges is called current. The electric force between
charges makes the charges flow producing current.

Current depends on:

1- Potential difference = E (voltage)

2- The medium in which the charges move = R (resistance)

The relationship is given by Ohm’s law:

Voltage (mV)
E
I =
R Resistance (ohm)
Current (mV/Ohm)
- Movement of ions through channels is referred to current (I).
- The Voltage (E) is the membrane potential.
- The cell membrane shows the highest resistance (R ) to ionic movements .
 Membrane Potential the potential difference
across the membrane
The difference in ionic distribution between inside and outside of the cell
results in a negatively charged intracellular compartment compared to the
positive extracelluar environment.

Membrane potential is produced by:

1- The action of Na/K pump at the cell membrane. Electrogenic

2- Proteins, ATP and other organic molecules in the

cell are negatively charged (anions), and can not cross Fixed Anions
the cell membrane therefore this makes inside of the
cell negative.

3- Ion Channels which cause leakage of ions across the

cell membrane.
 Membrane Potential Can be Measured

The potential difference across the cell membrane can

be measured using microelectrodes and a sensitive
voltmeter.
 Resting Membrane potential

- In excitable cells the potential difference between inside and outside of

the cell during rest is called “resting membrane potential” RMP

Excitable cells:
- Nerve cells (-70mv)
- Muscle cells (-90mv)

Change in RMP occurs in these excitable cells to perform a

function. Usually this change indicate a signal. For example
nerve cells produce signals and propagate them by
undergoing changes in their RMP
 CAUSES OF THE RMP

(1)Selective permeability of the

the resting membrane
membrane : of the nerve
is 50-100 times more permeable to
K +
than to Na +
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
 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
 3- Both Na+ & K+
are surrounded
by a jacket of
water molecules ,
the thickness of
which is
inversely
proportional to
its size
 Na+ ion (atomic
number 11) is
smaller than K+
ion (atomic
number 19)so,
+
 +

+
m

N
K
p

p
u

2
T
e
a

(
-
• The nerve cell membrane
possesses a 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 is electrogenic
causing a potential
difference (creating
negativity inside &
positivity outside).
• The pump is an active
process
• It requires an enzyme
Na+ -K+ ATP ase in the
cell membrane &
e the
insid

sible

ence
fiber

diffu
nerv

Pres
anio

non

(3)
ns

of
e
s

These anions  These fixed

include: Proteins, anions does not
pass through the
ATP and other
cell membrane
organic due to:
molecules in the
1. Their large
cell. molecular weight
 are
2. Repelling by
negativelycharge proteins in the
d (anions), cell membrane
can not cross
the cell
membrane
 High resistance

_ _
_
_ FIXED
_
m
M
M

M
U
A

R
P
Y

S
R

n
o
e

e
t

t
)

f
 The Na+ -K+ pump causes
more transport of the
positive (3Na+) than to the
inside (K+).
 Most of the negative ions
inside the nerve fibers are
non diffusible and remain
inside
 Membrane permeability is
greater for K+ than to Na+ ,
The inside becomes
thus more K+ leave the negative while the out
inside of the cells through side becomes positive
the leak channels
 ANY
Any Question

QUESTION
????????
 Answer the following question:
(1)Define the membrane potential
(2) What is the resting membrane
potential
(3) How the membrane potential was
measured
(4) Factors responsible for genesis of
the resting membrane potential
(5) Discuss the role of the sodium
potassium pump in the genesis of the
membrane potential
THANK YOU