Serendip is an independent site partnering with faculty at multiple colleges and universities around the world. Happy exploring!

Home › Nervous system signals and their implications, con. ›

Reply to comment

Paul Grobstein's picture

rechargeable batteries

Submitted by Paul Grobstein on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 2:06pm.
That's what the pump is there for. In practice, very few ions move during an action potential. For this reason, there is a quite small effect of action potentials on the concentration gradients that in turn (with selective permeability) constitute the battery. With no new energy supply (a "dead" worm or whatever) you can get lots of action potentials before the concentration gradients are reduced. But yes, over time the concentrations gradients will "run down". Life includes continually re-establishing the concentration gradients/recharging the batteries.

Reply

To prevent automated spam submissions leave this field empty.
3 + 4 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.

Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities

Scanning electron microscope image of SARS-CoV-2

Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities has 50 remote-ready activities, which work for either your classroom or remote teaching.

Narrative is determined not by a desire to narrate but by a desire to exchange. (Roland Barthes, S/Z)

What's New? Subscribe to Serendip Studio