Value based questions.
If the permeability of the axon membrane to $N a^{+}$ ions and $K^{+}$ ions increased simultaneously what effect would this have on the action potential?

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Solution

If the outflow of positive $K^{+}$ ions from the axon balanced the inflow of positive $N a^{+}$ ions into the axon there would be no change, or perhaps only a slight decrease, in the .resting potential. Such a slight change would be insufficient to reach the threshold required to produce an action potential.

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{Na}^{+}

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Potential difference across resting membrane is negatively charged. This is due to differential distribution of the following ions.

(a) $N a^{+} a n d K^{+} i o n s$ (b) $C O_{3}^{2 -} a n d C I^{-} i o n s$

\begin{matrix} C o l u m n I & C o l u m n I I & C o l u m n I I I A . R e s t i n g m e m b r a n e p o t e n t i a l & (i) N A^{+} c h a n n e l g e t o p e n & (p) N a^{+} a n d K^{+} p u m p s a r e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r i t B . A c t i o n p o t e n t i a l & (i i) N a^{+} c h a n n e l i s c l o s e d & (q) L a s t f o r v e r y s h o r t t i m e C . D e p o l a r i s a t i o n & (i i i) N a^{+} i o n s a r e m o r e o n o u t e r s i d e o f m e m b r a n e & (r) K^{+} i o n s m o v e o n o u t e r s i d e D . R e p o l a r i s a t i o n & (i v) N a^{+} i o n s a r e m o r e o n i n n e r s i d e o f m e m b r a n e & (s) P o s i t i v e c h a r g e o n i n n e r s i d e o f m e m b r a n e \end{matrix}

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