What causes the rapid change in the resting membrane potential to initiate an action potential?
A)Potassium gates open, and potassium rushes into the cell, changing the membrane potential from negative to positive.
B)Sodium gates open, and sodium rushes into the cell, changing the membrane potential from negative to positive.
C)Sodium gates close, allowing potassium into the cell to change the membrane potential from positive to negative.
D)Potassium gates close, allowing sodium into the cell to change the membrane potential from positive to negative.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a resting cell is stimulated through voltage-regulated channels, the cell membranes become more permeable to Na⁺. As Na⁺ moves into the cell the membrane potential decreases, or moves forward, from a negative value (in millivolts) to zero. The Na⁺ gates open, and Na⁺ rushes into the cell, causing the membrane potential to reduce to zero and then become positive (depolarization). The remaining options do not correctly describe the change that initiates an action potential.

What Causes the Rapid Change in the Resting Membrane Potential