PSYC 2P35 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Tetraodontidae, Procaine, Saxitoxin

• School: Brock University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 2P35
• Professor: Dawn Good

Document Summary

Membrane potentials: the (cid:271)asis of ho(cid:449) the (cid:374)euro(cid:374) a(cid:272)(cid:272)o(cid:373)plishes (cid:272)o(cid:373)(cid:373)u(cid:374)i(cid:272)atio(cid:374) or (cid:858)a(cid:272)tio(cid:374)(cid:859, refers to the electrical charge of the membrane of the neuron, neurons are not electrically neutral allows the neuron to respond rapidly. The (plasma) membrane of a neuron: protein channels allow specially charged molecules to pass, sodium, potassium, chloride, embedded in the membrane are protein channels that permit certain ions to cross. Important ions in the neuron: sodium (na+, potassium k, chloride (cl-, +proteins (a-) Cl: balancing these molecules across the neuronal membrane produ(cid:272)es the (cid:858)potential fo(cid:396) a(cid:272)tion(cid:859) (or the action potential) Forces that maintain the resting potential: electrical (electrostatic) gradient. Difference in the electrical charge across the membrane: concentration (osmotic) gradient. Difference in the number of ions on inside and outside the membrane. Electrostatic pressure: results from the process of balancing ionic charges (-(cid:858)(cid:448)e or +(cid:859)(cid:448)e(cid:895, some charges repel each other; opposite charges attract.