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Related Concept Videos

Action Potentials01:41

Action Potentials

Overview
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...

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Related Experiment Video

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Recording Network Activity in Spinal Nociceptive Circuits Using Microelectrode Arrays
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Recording Network Activity in Spinal Nociceptive Circuits Using Microelectrode Arrays

Published on: February 9, 2022

Spontaneous high-frequency action potential.

Haiying Shen1, Wonchae Choe

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical Research Center and Biomedical Science Institute, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.

Science China. Life Sciences
|April 22, 2011
PubMed
Summary

This study reveals a unified mechanism for spontaneous physiological discharges, including cardiac tachyarrhythmias and neuropathic pain. Connecting-end hyperpolarization initiates action potentials, resolving long-standing research conundrums.

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Area of Science:

  • Physiology
  • Electrophysiology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Action potentials are fundamental to physiological and electrophysiological research.
  • Spontaneous discharge phenomena in vivo, such as tachyarrhythmias and neuropathic pain, remain incompletely understood.
  • Previous research has been unable to resolve the underlying mechanisms of various in vivo spontaneous discharges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the generation, induction, and initiation mechanisms of spontaneous high-frequency action potentials.
  • To identify a unified mechanism underlying diverse spontaneous discharge phenomena in vivo.
  • To resolve long-standing pathophysiological and clinical research conundrums related to spontaneous discharges.

Main Methods:

  • Detection of cardiac electrophysiology, specifically tachyarrhythmias.
  • Analysis of spontaneous discharge phenomena including wound currents and neuropathic pain.
  • Elaboration of the spontaneous action potential mechanism, termed SSL action potential.

Main Results:

  • Identified connecting-end hyperpolarization as the initiator of spontaneous depolarization and action potential in somatic membranes.
  • Established a unified mechanism for spontaneous action potential generation across various physiological conditions.
  • Resolved the pathophysiological basis for spontaneous discharges in tachyarrhythmias, wounds, denervation supersensitivity, neurogenic pain, epileptic discharge, and diabetic pain.

Conclusions:

  • The connecting-end hyperpolarization mechanism provides a comprehensive explanation for in vivo spontaneous discharges.
  • This unified mechanism resolves decades-old puzzles in pathophysiological and clinical research.
  • The findings offer new insights into the fundamental understanding of action potential generation and related disorders.