Nerv06/introduction/mechanism of conductance
| An action potential, located at one point of the neuronal membrane, depolarizes the adjacent point and an action potential is generated. |
The neuronal cell body is like a golf ball covered with gunpowder and the neuronal fiber is like a fuse connected to that golf ball. When the gunpowder is lit somewhere, the gunpowder in the adjacent point would warm up to the firing level and the fire would move to that point. A fire at one point would ignite the adjacent point. With this principle, the gunpowder on the golf ball would ignite concentrically from the original point. Also, on a fuse, a fire on one point would move along the line.
When point C of a neuronal membrane is sufficiently stimulated, action potential is generated and overshoot occurs. When this happens, because of overshoot in point C, the adjacent point D depolarizes. This depolarization is strong enough to reach the firing level (threshold, threshold voltage) and with delay, an action potential is generated. An action potential at one point, strongly depolarizes the adjacent point in the same membrane, and with delay, generates an action potential.
Challenge Quiz
An action potential at one point of a neuronal membrane, hyperpolarizes depolarizes the adjacent point of the same membrane.
An action potential at one point of a neuronal membrane, depolarizes the adjacent point of the same membrane strong enough to reach the firing level (threshold, threshold voltage). true false
An action potential at one point of a neuronal membrane, depolarizes the adjacent point of the same membrane, but not strong enough to reach the firing level (threshold, threshold voltage). true false