Question

What Ions are crucial for Action Potential (AP) to be generated?

Please explain the sodium/potassium gradient and why it is important.

Answer 1

An action potential is generated when the membrane potential of a specific cell rapidly rises and falls. The principal ions involved in action potential are sodium and potassium cations. When a stimulus begins sodium channels open allowing sodium ions to enter the cell Membrane causing a change in electric potential across the membrane.

active transport is energy requiring process of pumping molecules and ions across membranes against a concentration gradient to move these molecules against their concentration gradient.

When a stimulus is produced sodium ions enters into the cell membrane. The potential difference ( by concentration gradient)causes potassium ions to move out of cell membrane. This causes the rushing of sodium ions in the adjacent side to cell . Thus a wavelike transmission of stimulus occurs. Which carries information to brain.