membrane potential
Let an agent explain membrane potential, relay physiology, equations and measurement from neuroscience and physiology sources, describe the named potentials, and distinguish membrane potential from action potentials as events, electrochemical gradients, zeta potential and electrode potentials in chemistry.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain membrane potential, relay physiology, equations and measurement from neuroscience and physiology sources, describe the named potentials, and distinguish membrane potential from action potentials as events, electrochemical gradients, zeta potential and electrode potentials in chemistry.
The difference in electric potential between the inside and outside of a biological cell or organelle, arising from ion concentration gradients and selective permeability, including the resting membrane potential of neurons of about minus 70 millivolts, the threshold potential at which voltage-gated sodium channels trigger an action potential, synaptic potentials such as excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials, miniature postsynaptic potentials from single vesicle release described by Fatt and Katz in 1952, and the mitochondrial membrane potential that drives ATP synthesis; it is described by the Nernst and Goldman equations and the Hodgkin-Huxley model.
What it is for: Enabling signalling and energy conversion in cells.
It can be explain physiology; relay equations and measurement; describe named potentials; distinguish related concepts.
Distinguishing features
Ion gradients
Selective permeability
Basis of excitability
Measured electrically
What it looks like
Not a visible object; recorded as voltage traces with microelectrodes.
Physical character
neuronal resting potential: about -70 mV - typical
threshold potential: about -55 mV - typical
mitochondrial membrane potential: about -150 to -180 mV - approximate
Hodgkin-Huxley model: 1952 year
How it is recognised
Voltage across a cell or organelle membrane
Threshold potential, mitochondrial membrane potential, synaptic potential, miniature postsynaptic potential, resting potential
Action potentials are transient spikes; electrochemical gradients include concentration; zeta potential concerns colloids; electrode potentials are electrochemistry
Related models
is a kind of - in registry terms
is described by -
includes -
is contrasted with -
In practice
Families and kinds
resting potential
threshold potential
graded synaptic potentials
miniature postsynaptic potentials
organelle membrane potentials
Standards and regulation
No regulation; research ethics apply to experiments
Failure modes and hazards
Confusing resting and action potentials
Sign convention errors
Oversimplifying ion channel roles
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What membrane potential is.
Science.
Definition
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is membrane potential, and how does it differ from action potentials, electrochemical gradients, zeta potential and electrode potentials? definition
- Is the question about neurons, muscles, mitochondria or measurement? boundary
Named
Named potentials.
Named
Named.
- What are threshold, mitochondrial, synaptic and miniature postsynaptic potentials? definition
- Which entry fits the specific potential? action
Physiology Mechanisms.
Science.
Ions
Ion gradients.
Ions
Ions.
- How do sodium-potassium pumps and leak channels set the resting potential? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Equations
Nernst and Goldman.
Equations
Equations.
- How do the Nernst and Goldman equations predict membrane potential? measurement
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Signalling Signalling.
Application.
Synapses
Synaptic potentials.
Synapses
Synapses.
- How do EPSPs, IPSPs and minis arise at synapses? provenance
- Which entry fits postsynaptic potential? action
Mitochondria
Mitochondrial potential.
Mitochondria
Mitochondria.
- How does the mitochondrial membrane potential drive ATP synthesis? provenance
- Which entry fits chemiosmosis? action
Context Measurement and history.
Context.
Patch clamp
Measurement.
Patch clamp
Patch clamp.
- How is membrane potential measured with patch clamp? provenance
- Which entry fits patch clamp? action
History
History.
History
History.
- How did Hodgkin and Huxley model the squid giant axon? provenance
- Which entry fits Hodgkin-Huxley model? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should threshold potential be a separate entry?
- How should physiology sources be linked?
- Should mitochondrial membrane potential be a separate entry?