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Related Concept Videos

Action Potentials01:41

Action Potentials

Overview
Action Potential: Phases of Stimulation01:28

Action Potential: Phases of Stimulation

The action potential is a complex electrical event that occurs in excitable cells, such as neurons and muscle cells. It consists of several distinct phases, each with specific characteristics.
Resting Phase:
In this phase, the cell's membrane is at its resting potential, typically around -70 millivolts (mV) for neurons. Inside the cell, there is a higher concentration of potassium ions (K+) and a lower concentration of sodium ions (Na+). Voltage-gated sodium channels are closed, and...
Action Potential01:14

Action Potential

Neurons communicate by firing action potentials—the electrochemical signal that is propagated along the axon. The signal results in the release of neurotransmitters at axon terminals, thereby transmitting information to the nervous system. An action potential is a specific "all-or-none" change in membrane potential that results in a rapid spike in voltage.
Membrane potential in neurons
Neurons typically have a resting membrane potential of about -70 millivolts (mV). When they receive...
Generation of Action Potential in Skeletal Muscles01:24

Generation of Action Potential in Skeletal Muscles

Every cell in the body maintains a membrane potential due to an uneven distribution of positive and negative charges across its plasma membrane. The membrane potential is measured in millivolts and quantifies the difference in charge across the membrane.
Like neurons, muscle cells are also regarded as excitable due to their capacity to change in response to stimuli, primarily due to voltage-gated ion channels embedded in their plasma membranes, which get activated by alterations in the cell's...
Propagation of Action Potentials01:23

Propagation of Action Potentials

The propagation of an action potential refers to the process by which a nerve impulse, or "action potential," travels along a neuron.
Neurons (nerve cells) have a resting membrane potential, with a slightly negative charge inside compared to outside. This is maintained by ion channels, such as sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) channels, which control the flow of ions. When a stimulus, like a touch or a signal from another neuron, triggers the neuron, sodium channels open, allowing sodium ions to...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 4, 2026

In Vivo Intracellular Recording of Type-Identified Rat Spinal Motoneurons During Trans-Spinal Direct Current Stimulation
11:07

In Vivo Intracellular Recording of Type-Identified Rat Spinal Motoneurons During Trans-Spinal Direct Current Stimulation

Published on: May 11, 2020

Changes in intracellular action potential profile affect parameters used in turns/amplitude analysis.

Todor I Arabadzhiev1, George V Dimitrov, Vichren E Chakarov

  • 1Centre of Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 105, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria. tosho@clbme.bas.bg

Muscle & Nerve
|May 29, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Changes in intracellular action potential (IAP) shape significantly impact motor unit potentials (MUPs), influencing neurogenic affection indicators like number of turns per second (NTs). This study clarifies IAP spatial profile effects on EMG signal analysis.

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Last Updated: Jul 4, 2026

In Vivo Intracellular Recording of Type-Identified Rat Spinal Motoneurons During Trans-Spinal Direct Current Stimulation
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Published on: May 11, 2020

Lipid-Protein Membrane Structure-Function Characterization using Droplet Interface Bilayers
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Published on: June 12, 2026

Evaluation of Synaptic Multiplicity Using Whole-cell Patch-clamp Electrophysiology
10:52

Evaluation of Synaptic Multiplicity Using Whole-cell Patch-clamp Electrophysiology

Published on: April 23, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biophysics
  • Electromyography

Background:

  • Motor unit potentials (MUPs) are crucial for assessing neuromuscular disorders.
  • Intracellular action potential (IAP) spatial profiles influence surface EMG signals.
  • Understanding these influences aids in diagnosing neurogenic and myogenic conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To simulate and analyze the impact of IAP spatial profile changes on MUPs, number of turns per second (NTs), and mean turn amplitude.
  • To elucidate why NTs are superior indicators of neurogenic affection.
  • To explain the reduced diagnostic utility of turns/amplitude analysis in myopathy.

Main Methods:

  • Computer simulations of IAP spatial profiles.
  • Analysis of simulated motor unit potentials (MUPs).
  • Evaluation of parameters like number of turns per second (NTs) and mean turn amplitude.

Main Results:

  • Number of turns per second (NTs) measurement is identified as the best indicator of neurogenic affection.
  • Changes in IAP shape, potentially due to elevated free calcium, explain lower diagnostic yield in myopathy.
  • Increased IAP spike duration has a greater effect on NTs than decreased muscle fiber propagation velocity (MFPV).

Conclusions:

  • NTs are highly sensitive to IAP spatial profile alterations, making them key for neurogenic disorder detection.
  • Myopathic changes in IAP shape can confound traditional turns/amplitude analysis.
  • EMG signal analysis during high contractions requires careful consideration of IAP dynamics.