Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Resting Membrane Potential01:21

The Resting Membrane Potential

Overview
Relaxation of Skeletal Muscles01:29

Relaxation of Skeletal Muscles

The period of muscle contraction primarily influences the duration of stimulation at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), the presence of free calcium ions in the sarcoplasm, and the availability of energy or ATP to support contractions.
When an action potential reaches the axon terminal, it depolarizes the membrane and opens voltage-gated sodium channels. Sodium ions enter the cell, further depolarizing the presynaptic membrane. This depolarization causes voltage-gated calcium channels to open.
Resting Membrane Potential01:24

Resting Membrane Potential

The relative difference in electrical charge, or voltage, between the inside and the outside of a cell membrane, is called the membrane potential. It is generated by differences in permeability of the membrane to various ions and the concentrations of these ions across the membrane.
The Inside of a Neuron is More Negative
The membrane potential of a cell can be measured by inserting a microelectrode into a cell and comparing the charge to a reference electrode in the extracellular fluid. The...
Long-term Potentiation01:35

Long-term Potentiation

Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre- and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Long-term Potentiation01:25

Long-term Potentiation

Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Hebbian LTP
LTP can occur when presynaptic neurons...
Resting Potential Decay01:15

Resting Potential Decay

The resting membrane potential of a neuron (-70mV) is sustained due to the selective ion permeability of the membrane. At the resting potential, the membrane is slightly permeable to ions like sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl−) and highly permeable to potassium ions (K+). Differences in the ions' concentration inside the cell compared to the outside are maintained by membrane transport proteins like channels and pumps.
At rest, the K+ is the main ion that moves across the membrane through...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Effect of cannabidiol, cannabinol and tetrahydrocannabivarin in managing inflammatory pain.

Scientific reports·2026
Same author

Collapse of feed-forward inhibition underpins hyperexcitability in GABAA gain-of-function epilepsy.

Brain : a journal of neurology·2026
Same author

Effect of cannabinol, tetrahydrocannabivarin and cannabidiol on voluntary alcohol consumption.

Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire)·2026
Same author

Biomimetic electrospun scaffolds for engineered heart tissue: from design parameters to drug testing platforms.

Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology·2026
Same author

Long QT syndrome type 1: clinical and functional characterization of KCNQ1 variant c.1111G > C.

BMC cardiovascular disorders·2025
Same author

The Application of Gamma-Range Auditory Steady-State Responses in Animal Models: A Semi-Structured Literature Review.

Brain sciences·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 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

Persistent sodium current decreases transient gain in turtle motoneurons.

Mantas Gabrielaitis1, Rokas Buisas, Robertas Guzulaitis

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vilnius University, Ciurlionio 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania.

Brain Research
|December 15, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Persistent sodium current (I(NaP)) amplifies excitatory postsynaptic potentials in neurons. Eliminating I(NaP) in motoneurons increased firing threshold and broadened synaptic integration windows.

More Related Videos

Simultaneous Intracellular Recording of a Lumbar Motoneuron and the Force Produced by its Motor Unit in the Adult Mouse In vivo
13:07

Simultaneous Intracellular Recording of a Lumbar Motoneuron and the Force Produced by its Motor Unit in the Adult Mouse In vivo

Published on: December 5, 2012

The Preparation of Oblique Spinal Cord Slices for Ventral Root Stimulation
09:10

The Preparation of Oblique Spinal Cord Slices for Ventral Root Stimulation

Published on: October 13, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 6, 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

Simultaneous Intracellular Recording of a Lumbar Motoneuron and the Force Produced by its Motor Unit in the Adult Mouse In vivo
13:07

Simultaneous Intracellular Recording of a Lumbar Motoneuron and the Force Produced by its Motor Unit in the Adult Mouse In vivo

Published on: December 5, 2012

The Preparation of Oblique Spinal Cord Slices for Ventral Root Stimulation
09:10

The Preparation of Oblique Spinal Cord Slices for Ventral Root Stimulation

Published on: October 13, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Computational Neuroscience
  • Computational Biology

Background:

  • Voltage-dependent ion channels critically shape neuronal signal integration.
  • Persistent sodium current (I(NaP)) activates below action potential threshold, potentially amplifying synaptic inputs and influencing firing patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the specific role of I(NaP) in the intrinsic firing properties of motoneurons.
  • To elucidate how I(NaP) affects neuronal excitability and synaptic integration.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized dynamic clamp techniques to selectively eliminate persistent sodium current (I(NaP)) in motoneurons.
  • Analyzed changes in firing properties, including rheobase and frequency-to-current (fI) relationships.

Main Results:

  • Elimination of I(NaP) shifted the rheobase, requiring more positive currents to initiate firing.
  • Removing I(NaP) resulted in a steeper initial frequency-to-current (fI) relationship.
  • I(NaP) was found to decrease transient gain and broaden the integration window for short synaptic inputs.

Conclusions:

  • Persistent sodium current (I(NaP)) plays a significant role in modulating motoneuron excitability and synaptic integration.
  • I(NaP) contributes to a lower firing threshold and influences the temporal summation of synaptic inputs in spinal motoneurons.