What causes the rapid change in the resting membrane potential that initiates 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 sodium. There is a net movement of sodium into the cell, and the membrane potential decreases, or "moves forward," from a negative value (in millivolts) to zero. The sodium gates open, and sodium rushes into the cell, causing the membrane potential to reduce to zero and then become positive (depolarization).

What Causes the Rapid Change in the Resting Membrane Potential