Physiology 2130 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Axon Terminal, Membrane Potential, Resting Potential

• School: Western University
• Department: Physiology
• Course: Physiology 2130
• Professor: Anita Woods

Document Summary

Module 4 nerve cells adam groh. Nerve cells, also called neurons, along with muscle cells are called excitable because they can use the resting membrane potential (-70mv) to generate an electrochemical impulse called an action potential. Nerve cells use the potentials to communicate with one another, and to facilitate muscle contraction. Cell body (soma): contains a nucleus and all relevant organelles needed to carry out regular cellular activity. An axon is an extension of the cell body, which carrier outgoing to the target cell, in the form of an action potential. Axon: may or may not be myelinated and has a layered phospholipid membrane sheath. This sheath acts as an insulator for the axon, forcing the ionic changes (of the action potential) to take place only at small exposed regions of the axon called the nodes of ranvier. This jumping of the action potential from node to node results in significantly increased speeds down the length of the axon.