Membrane Potential, Action Potential, and Nerve Conduction

Author(s):  
Joseph Feher
1979 ◽  
Vol 57 (9) ◽  
pp. 944-956 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Krnjević ◽  
Y. Lamour ◽  
J. F. MacDonald ◽  
A. Nistri

In cats under Dial, Co, Mn, La, and Sr were injected extracellularly near lumbosacral motoneurones. All tended to improve intracellular recording, but when the membrane potential was initially stable, Mn, and especially Co, had a moderate and reproducible depolarizing action. Both Mn and Co depressed excitatory postsynaptic potentials evoked by dorsal root stimulation. The prominent after-hyperpolarization (a.h.p.), which normally follows the motoneuronal action potential, was consistently and reversibly depressed by Mn and Co (as well as La), the underlying conductance increase being also diminished, but there was no significant reduction in the after-depolarization. By contrast, Sr tended to potentiate the a.h.p., especially when this was depressed by a previous injection of Co or Mn. Unlike the other cations, Co had a marked depressant effect on the action potential, particularly its rate of rise. Since the action potential could be immediately restored by hyperpolarization or by an injection of Sr (in the absence of depolarization), Co may enhance Na inactivation.


2007 ◽  
Vol 292 (1) ◽  
pp. R388-R395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina E. Molina ◽  
Hans Gesser ◽  
Anna Llach ◽  
Lluis Tort ◽  
Leif Hove-Madsen

Application of the current-clamp technique in rainbow trout atrial myocytes has yielded resting membrane potentials that are incompatible with normal atrial function. To investigate this paradox, we recorded the whole membrane current ( Im) and compared membrane potentials recorded in isolated cardiac myocytes and multicellular preparations. Atrial tissue and ventricular myocytes had stable resting potentials of −87 ± 2 mV and −83.9 ± 0.4 mV, respectively. In contrast, 50 out of 59 atrial myocytes had unstable depolarized membrane potentials that were sensitive to the holding current. We hypothesized that this is at least partly due to a small slope conductance of Im around the resting membrane potential in atrial myocytes. In accordance with this hypothesis, the slope conductance of Im was about sevenfold smaller in atrial than in ventricular myocytes. Interestingly, ACh increased Im at −120 mV from 4.3 pA/pF to 27 pA/pF with an EC50 of 45 nM in atrial myocytes. Moreover, 3 nM ACh increased the slope conductance of Im fourfold, shifted its reversal potential from −78 ± 3 to −84 ± 3 mV, and stabilized the resting membrane potential at −92 ± 4 mV. ACh also shortened the action potential in both atrial myocytes and tissue, and this effect was antagonized by atropine. When applied alone, atropine prolonged the action potential in atrial tissue but had no effect on membrane potential, action potential, or Im in isolated atrial myocytes. This suggests that ACh-mediated activation of an inwardly rectifying K+ current can modulate the membrane potential in the trout atrial myocytes and stabilize the resting membrane potential.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 136-141
Author(s):  
Mohammed Salah Elmagzoub ◽  
Ahmed Hassan Ahmed ◽  
Hussam M A Hameed

Background: Nerve conduction studies (NCSs) help in delineating the extent distribution of neural lesion, and the diagnosis of peripheral nerve disorders. Because normative nerve conduction parameters were not yet established in Sudan EMG laboratories, this study aims towards having our own reference values, as we are using the American and British parameters. This will allow avoiding the discrepancies that might be induced by many factors. Methods: NCSs were performed in 200 Median nerves of 100 adult healthy Sudanese subjects using standardized techniques. Results: The median SNAP (sensory nerve action potential) values were as follows: distal latency, 2.6±3 ms with a range of (2.3-2.9); peak latency, 3.5±0.5 ms (3.0-4.0); amplitude, 47.7±18.0μV (29.7-65.7); conduction velocity, 53.0±7.8 m/s (45.2-60.8). The following values were obtained for the Median nerve CMAP (compound muscle action potential) at wrist stimulation: distal latency, 3.5±0.5 ms with a range of (3.0-4.0); peak latency, 9.4± 1.0 ms (8.4-10.4); duration, 5.9±0.9 ms (5.0-6.8); amplitude, 12.3±2.5 mV (9.8-14.8); area, 43.0±10.4 mVms (32.6-53.4); conduction velocity, 63.6±6.2 m/s (57.4-69.8). The F wave was 28.4±1.8 ms (26.6-30.2). Conclusion: The overall mean sensory and motor nerve conduction parameters for the tested nerve compared favorably with the existing literature with some discrepancies that were justified.


Author(s):  
Ebrahim Lari ◽  
Leslie T. Buck

In most vertebrates, anoxia drastically reduces the production of the essential adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to power its many necessary functions, and consequently, cell death occurs within minutes. However, some vertebrates, such as the painted turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii), have evolved the ability to survive months without oxygen by simultaneously decreasing ATP supply and demand, surviving the anoxic period without any apparent cellular damage. The impact of anoxia on the metabolic function of painted turtles has received a lot of attention. Still, the impact of low temperature has received less attention and the interactive effect of anoxia and temperature even less. In the present study, we investigated the interactive impacts of reduced temperature and severe hypoxia on the electrophysiological properties of pyramidal neurons in painted turtle cerebral cortex. Our results show that an acute reduction in temperature from 20 to 5°C decreases membrane potential, action potential width and amplitude, and whole-cell conductance. Importantly, acute exposure to 5°C considerably slows membrane repolarization by voltage-gated K+ channels. Exposing pyramidal cells to severe hypoxia in addition to an acute temperature change slightly depolarized membrane potential but did not alter action potential amplitude or width and whole-cell conductance. These results suggest that acclimation to low temperatures, preceding severe environmental hypoxia, induces cellular responses in pyramidal neurons that facilitate survival under low oxygen concentration. In particular, our results show that temperature acclimation invokes a change in voltage-gated K+ channel kinetics that overcomes the acute inhibition of the channel.


1987 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 180-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. R. Morales ◽  
P. A. Boxer ◽  
S. J. Fung ◽  
M. H. Chase

1. The electrophysiological properties of alpha-motoneurons in old cats (14–15 yr) were compared with those of adult cats (1–3 yr). These properties were measured utilizing intracellular recording and stimulating techniques. 2. Unaltered in the old cat motoneurons were the membrane potential, action potential amplitude, and slopes of the initial segment (IS) and soma dendritic (SD) spikes, as well as the duration and amplitude of the action potential's afterhyperpolarization. 3. In contrast, the following changes in the electrophysiological properties of lumbar motoneurons were found in the old cats: a decrease in axonal conduction velocity, a shortening of the IS-SD delay, an increase in input resistance, and a decrease in rheobase. 4. In spite of these considerable changes in motoneuron properties in the old cat, normal correlations between different electrophysiological properties were maintained. The following key relationships, among others, were the same in adult and old cat motoneurons: membrane potential polarization versus action potential amplitude, duration of the afterhyperpolarization versus motor axon conduction velocity, and rheobase versus input conductance. 5. A review of the existing literature reveals that neither chronic spinal cord section nor deafferentation (13, 21) in adult animals produce the changes observed in old cats. Thus we consider it unlikely that a loss of synaptic contacts was responsible for the modifications in electrophysiological properties observed in old cat motoneurons. 6. We conclude that during old age there are significant changes in the soma-dendritic portion of cat motoneurons, as indicated by the modifications found in input resistance, rheobase, and IS-SD delay, as well as significant changes in their axons, as indicated by a decrease in conduction velocity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 62
Author(s):  
Eiichi Kumamoto

Nociceptive information is transmitted from the periphery to the cerebral cortex mainly by action potential (AP) conduction in nerve fibers and chemical transmission at synapses. Although this nociceptive transmission is largely inhibited at synapses by analgesics and their adjuvants, it is possible that the antinociceptive drugs inhibit nerve AP conduction, contributing to their antinociceptive effects. Many of the drugs are reported to inhibit the nerve conduction of AP and voltage-gated Na+ and K+ channels involved in its production. Compound action potential (CAP) is a useful measure to know whether drugs act on nerve AP conduction. Clinically-used analgesics and analgesic adjuvants (opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, α2-adrenoceptor agonists, antiepileptics, antidepressants and local anesthetics) were found to inhibit fast-conducting CAPs recorded from the frog sciatic nerve by using the air-gap method. Similar actions were produced by antinociceptive plant-derived chemicals. Their inhibitory actions depended on the concentrations and chemical structures of the drugs. This review article will mention the inhibitory actions of the antinociceptive compounds on CAPs in frog and mammalian peripheral (particularly, sciatic) nerves and on voltage-gated Na+ and K+ channels involved in AP production. Nerve AP conduction inhibition produced by analgesics and analgesic adjuvants is suggested to contribute to at least a part of their antinociceptive effects.


2021 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 381-400
Author(s):  
Emely Thompson ◽  
Jodene Eldstrom ◽  
David Fedida

Kv7 channels (Kv7.1–7.5) are voltage-gated K+ channels that can be modulated by five β-subunits (KCNE1–5). Kv7.1-KCNE1 channels produce the slow-delayed rectifying K+ current, IKs, which is important during the repolarization phase of the cardiac action potential. Kv7.2–7.5 are predominantly neuronally expressed and constitute the muscarinic M-current and control the resting membrane potential in neurons. Kv7.1 produces drastically different currents as a result of modulation by KCNE subunits. This flexibility allows the Kv7.1 channel to have many roles depending on location and assembly partners. The pharmacological sensitivity of Kv7.1 channels differs from that of Kv7.2–7.5 and is largely dependent upon the number of β-subunits present in the channel complex. As a result, the development of pharmaceuticals targeting Kv7.1 is problematic. This review discusses the roles and the mechanisms by which different signaling pathways affect Kv7.1 and KCNE channels and could potentially provide different ways of targeting the channel.


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