Conduction of Action Potential-2

CONDUCTION OF ACTION
POTENTIAL ALONG NERVE AXON

AND ACROSS JUNCTIONS
Excitable Tissue Physiology
Lecture Notes for Undergraduate Students
Prof. Isyaku Umar Yarube
Bayero University, Kano
1
Learning Objectives
Upon mastering the material covered in this
lecture, students should be able to:
1. Explain how action potentials (APs) are
conducted along myelinated and unmyelinated
axons.
2. Describe how an AP is transmitted from one
neuron to the next.
3. Tell how postsynaptic potentials are integrated
into APs on the postsynaptic neuron.
4. Enumerate the different classes and general
functions of neurotransmitters.
2
Introduction
• AP is generated at the axon hillock (trigger zone).
• There is high concentration of voltage-gated Na+
channels at the axon hillock and initial segment
of the neuron.
• .
3
• The AP is then transmitted along the nerve
axon to:
– a junction with another neuron (synapse)
– a junction with skeletal muscle or smooth muscle
in blood vessels and glands (neuromuscular
junction)
4
Conduction of Action Potential along
Nerve Axon
A. Unmyelinated axon:
The membrane
polarity at rest is
reversed during AP.
This is called ‘current
sink’.
5
Current ↓ in Generation
sink polarity of local
ahead currents
Threshold Propagated
level response
6
B. Myelinated axon:
• The current sink in the
active node of Ranvier
(NoR) electrotonically
depolarizes the node
ahead of the AP.
• So, AP jumps from the

active NoR to the next –
saltatory conduction.
7
• The NoRs also have high concentration of
voltage-gated Na+ channels, which are
necessary for their specialised function.
• Saltatory conduction is up to 50 times faster

than conduction by current sink.
8
Related Pathophysiology
• Demyelinating diseases – are diseases
characterised by failure to conduct impulse
due to absence of myelin sheath.
• Example of demyel. dx - multiple sclerosis
Loss of K+ Hyper- Delay or

Myelin leakage polari- block of AP
Sheath sation conduction
9
Synaptic and Junctional Transmission
Introduction
• Synaptic and junctional transmission bridges
the gap between neurons and their targets.
Neuron - Synapse
• Targets
Muscle – Neuromuscular junction
(NMJ)
10
• Synapse – junction where axon or some other
portion of one cell – the presynaptic cell,
terminates on dendrites, soma or axon of
another neuron – the postsynaptic cell.
• Types of synapses
Chemical synapses
• Synapses
Electrical synapses
11
• Electrical synapses – are actually gap
junctions.
• They allow bidirectional exchange of ions
between cytoplasms of cells.
• They are uncommon in mammalian nervous
system.
• Chemical synapses – perform their functions
using chemicals called neurotransmitters.
12
• Types of synapses
(Anatomical)
1. Axoaxonal
2. Axosomatic
3. Axodendritic
4. Axospinous
13
Chemical synapse
14
Sequence of events in synaptic
transmission
1. AP reaches presynaptic terminal.
2. Opening of Ca2+ channels and Ca2+ influx into
presynaptic terminal.
3. Release of neurotransmitter (NT) from
synaptic vesicles by exocytosis.
4. NT diffuses across synaptic cleft and binds to
receptors on the postsynaptic membrane.
5. Opening or closure of specific channels on
the postsynaptic cell membrane.
15
• Changes in membrane potential of the
postsynaptic cell:
– Na+ influx → depolarisation
– Ca2+ influx → depolarisation
– K+ efflux → hyperpolarisation
– Cl- influx → hyperpolarisation
• At the synapse, impulse experiences synaptic
delay – time required to complete synaptic
transmission; min. = 0.5 ms
16
• NTs are synthesized in cell bodies of neurons and
and transported along the axon to the nerve
terminal by axoplasmic transport (through
microtubules).
• The lifecycle of vesicles involves:

Docking → priming → fusion/exocytosis →
endocytosis → translocation → fusion with
endosome → budding of endosome → NT uptake
→ translocation → docking
17
• Several proteins are involved in fusion of vesicles
with presynaptic membrane:
– NSF (N-ethylmaleimide-
sensitive fusion protein) Located on
– SNAPs (soluble NSF cell membrane
attached proteins)
– Syntaxin
– Synaptobrevin (on vesicle membrane)
– Rab Regulatory proteins
– Sec1/Munc18 together with GTP
18
Integration of postsynaptic potentials
into APs in the postsynaptic neuron
• Integration occurs in the soma or dendrites
Depol. & EPSP – when depolarisation

hyperpol. is the algebreic sum
are sum-
mated IPSP – when hyperpolarisation
is the algebreic sum
19
Summation of postsynaptic potentials
1. Temporal summation –
when postsynaptic
potentials are added
with time (quick
sequential APs).
20
2. Spatial summation –
activation of several
synapses at different
sites of contact at the
same time.
21
Neurotransmitters
• NTs are chemicals that are necessary for
impulse transmission at chemical synapses.
• Acetylcholine (Ach) and norepinephrine - the

first to be discovered in periph. nervous
system.
22
Classes of neurotransmitters
1. Small-molecule NTs
a) Amino acids:
Glutamate,
Aspartate,
Glycine,
γ-aminobuturic acid (GABA)
23
b) Monoanimes (AA precursurs):
Ach (Choline)
Dopamine
NE (Tyrosine)
Epinephrine
Seratonin (5-HT) (Tryptophan)
d) ATP
24
2. Large-molecule NTs (Neuropeptides,
Polypeptides)
Substance P
Opioids
Enchephaline
Nitric oxide
etc
25
General functions of NTs
26

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CONDUCTION OF ACTION

POTENTIAL ALONG NERVE AXON

• So, AP jumps from the

• Saltatory conduction is up to 50 times faster

Loss of K+ Hyper- Delay or

• The lifecycle of vesicles involves:

Depol. & EPSP – when depolarisation

• Acetylcholine (Ach) and norepinephrine - the

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