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Action Potentials

Action Potentials

Action Potential

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

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...

Propagation of Action Potentials

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...

Cardiac Action Potential

Cardiac Action Potential

Cardiac action potentials are essential for proper heart function, enabling the rhythmic contractions needed for adequate blood circulation. Nodal cells and Purkinje fibers, specialized for electrical conduction, generate these action potentials.
The cardiac action potential process involves a series of phases characterized by the movement of ions across the cardiac cell membranes, leading to the depolarization and repolarization of the cardiac myocytes.
Ionic Basis of Cardiac Action Potentials

Action Potential: Phases of Stimulation

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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Recording Gap Junction Current from Xenopus Oocytes

Recording Gap Junction Current from Xenopus Oocytes

Published on: January 21, 2022

A Xenopus oocyte model system to study action potentials.

Aaron Corbin-Leftwich¹, Hannah E Small¹, Helen H Robinson¹

¹Department of Biology, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA.

The Journal of General Physiology

|September 30, 2018

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study explores action potential (AP) generation in Xenopus laevis oocytes by coexpressing sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) channels. It demonstrates how K+ channel diversity modulates cellular excitability, offering a model for studying APs.

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Area of Science:

Electrophysiology
Cellular Signaling
Ion Channel Function

Background:

Action potentials (APs) are crucial for rapid electrical signaling in excitable cells.
The interplay of Na+ and K+ voltage-gated channels shapes AP upstroke and downstroke.
Variations in AP properties across cell types are due to ion channel diversity and modulation.

Purpose of the Study:

To establish reliable conditions for recording action potentials in Xenopus laevis oocytes coexpressing Na+ and K+ channels.
To investigate the role of different K+ channel subtypes in modulating cellular excitability within a controlled system.
To develop a minimal model system for studying AP modulation by pharmacological or biological agents.

Main Methods:

Coexpression of Na+ and K+ channels in Xenopus laevis oocytes.
Electrophysiological recordings to capture action potentials.
Systematic variation of K+ channel subtypes to assess effects on excitability.

Main Results:

Successfully established a reliable method for AP recordings in coexpressing oocytes.
Demonstrated that diverse K+ channel subtypes significantly modulate cellular excitability.
Validated the Xenopus oocyte system as a minimal model for AP studies.

Conclusions:

The Xenopus laevis oocyte system provides a robust platform for dissecting the roles of ion channels in AP generation.
This model system facilitates research into the modulation of APs by various factors under controlled expression conditions.
Understanding ion channel contributions to APs is essential for comprehending cellular electrical signaling.