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Sorry if this was covered in another thread. I searched but couldn't find anything.
My understanding of definitions (for membrane potential)
Depolarization:
Potential moving away from resting membrane potential in the positive direction. (becoming more positive)
Repolarization:
Potential returning to resting membrane potential (becoming more negative but towards r.m.p.)
Hyperpolarization:
Potential moving away from resting membrane potential in the more negative direction (away from r.m.p)
I thought I got these concepts down until I encountered the membrane potential of rod cells.
1) Rod cells have a negative resting membrane potential like muscle & neurons due to Na leak channels.
2) Upon stimultation, V gated Na channels open, and they become hyperpolarized.
(In this sense, the definition for hyperpolarization is the same as that of muscle cells & neurons
3) Then, the potential returns to its resting membrane potential.
What kind of polarization would thie be? (Repolarization? Depolarization? Something else?)
thanks guys.
My understanding of definitions (for membrane potential)
Depolarization:
Potential moving away from resting membrane potential in the positive direction. (becoming more positive)
Repolarization:
Potential returning to resting membrane potential (becoming more negative but towards r.m.p.)
Hyperpolarization:
Potential moving away from resting membrane potential in the more negative direction (away from r.m.p)
I thought I got these concepts down until I encountered the membrane potential of rod cells.
1) Rod cells have a negative resting membrane potential like muscle & neurons due to Na leak channels.
2) Upon stimultation, V gated Na channels open, and they become hyperpolarized.
(In this sense, the definition for hyperpolarization is the same as that of muscle cells & neurons
3) Then, the potential returns to its resting membrane potential.
What kind of polarization would thie be? (Repolarization? Depolarization? Something else?)
thanks guys.