Voltage gated sodium channels and voltage gated potassium channels are opened by membrane depolarization. Because these voltage-gated sodium and potassium channels allow positive charge to move in opposite directions, why don’t these two ionic currents cancel each other out during an action potential?
Added by Amy K.
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When a neuron is depolarized, voltage-gated sodium channels open, allowing Na+ ions to flow into the cell. This influx of positive charge causes further depolarization, which is crucial for the rapid rise of the action potential. Show more…
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