Physiology of The Nerve

Week 4
Dr. Walid Daoud
A. Professor

Neuron
Neuron or nerve cell is specialized for
.transfer and integration of information
:Spinal Motor Neuron
.Cell body (soma)Dendrites for perception of signals from
. other neurons
Axon (nerve fiber) carries impulse away
. from the cell body

Types of Nerve Fibers

:Myelinated Nerve Fibers-1
Surrounded by myelin sheath made by
.
. Schwann cells
.Myelin sheath is insulator to ion flow.
.Nodes of Ranvier are non-insulated areas .
.e.g Preganglionic autonomic nerve fibers
:Unmyelinated Nerve Fibers-2
.Axons not surrounded by myelin sheath .
.e.g Postganglionic autonomic nerve fibers

Electrical properties of Neuron

:Excitability
It is the ability of generating electrochemical
impulse (action potentials) at the cell
.membrane in response to any stimulus
:Conductivity
It is the ability to propagate action potential
from the point of generation to the rest of
.the membrane

Nerve Excitability
Selective permeability of cell membrane
causes difference in ionic composition of
intracellular and extracellular fluids
creating a membrane potential which is the
.basis of excitability
:Mainly intracellular ions
Potassium, proteins, magnesium, phosphate
:Mainly extracellular ions
Sodium, chloride, bicarbonate

Factors affecting effectiveness of a stimulus

:Strength- 1
Threshold stimulus or Rheobase is the
minimal stimulus needed to excite the
.nerve and produce action potential
:Duration- 2
Utilization time is the minimal time needed
.by Rheobase to give a response
Chronaxie is the time needed by a stimulus
.of 2 Rheobase to excite the nerve
.It is a measure of nerve excitability

Resting Membrane Potential (RMP)

It is the difference in electric potential (voltage)
between the inside and outside the
membrane under resting conditions with the
.inside negative and the outside positive
RMP is recorded by 2 microelectrodes
.connected to a voltmeter
RMP in large nerve fibers -90 mv
RMP in medium nerve fibers -70 mv
RMP in red cells -20 mv

Causes of RMP
Selective permeability of cell membrane-1
Being 100 times more permeable to K+ than to
.Na+ and impermeable to protein anions
Na+ K+ pump-2
Against concentration and electric gradient and
this needs energy derived from cell membrane
.ATPase activity
Na+ ions pumped out while 2 K+ ions pumped in 3
.leading to positive charge outside

Calculation of RMP
Nernst Equation: equilibrium potential (E)
is membrane potential at which movement of
a certain ion (Na+ or K+) stops. This occurs
when the 2 opposing forces (electrical and
.chemical gradients) become equal
E = +/- 61 log conc.inside / conc.outside
E for K+ = - 94 mv
E for Na+ = +61 mv
This means that if K+ is the only factor causing
.RMP, RMP would equal -94 mv

Calculation of RMP
Goldman Equation: more accurate as it
:consider
Na+, K+ and Cl- conc.inside and outside the . nerve fiber
.+K+ permeability is 100 times as that of Na RMP by diffusion of ions = -86 mv (near to
.K+ equilibrium potential)

Action Potential
It is the rapid change in the resting
membrane potential following stimulation
. of a nerve by threshold stimulus
It is a process of depolarization (Na + influx). followed by repolarization (K+ efflux)
Can be recorded by 2 microelectrodes
. connected to cathode ray oscilloscope

Steps and Phases of Action Potential

.Stimulus artifact- 1
.Latent period- 2
.Ascending limb (Depolarization)- 3
Descending limb (Repolarization)- 4

Ionic Basis of Action Potential

Depolarization is caused by Na inflow (influx)
Repolarization is caused by K outflow (efflux)
:through 2 types of voltage-gated ion channels
.Voltage-gated Na channel: 2 gates -1
.Voltage-gated K channel: one gate -2
:Once nerve is stimulated
Outer Na gates open & inner Na gates close .K gates open -

Successive movements of gates is

essential for production of action potential
:During Depolarization-1
Slow stage from -90 mv to -65 mv which . is the firing level
.Rapid stage from -65 mv to +35 mv:During Repolarization-2
.Inactivation of Na channels .Activation of K channels :Hyperpolarization-3
.Slow closure of K channels

Action Potential in Nerve Trunk

Nerve trunk or peripheral nerves are made of
.many nerve fibers
Action potential has many peaks (compound)
because each nerve fiber in the nerve
.responds with All or None Rule
:Nerve fibers vary in
.Threshold of stimulation.,Distance from stimulating electrode.Speed of conduction-

Local response (local excitatory state)

It is a slight depolarization caused by
subthreshold stimulus which opens few Na
channels not enough to produce action
.potential and repolarization follows rapidly
.Does not obey All or None Rule.Can be graded.Can be summated. Not propagated-

Excitability Changes During Action Potential

:Absolute Refractory Period (ARP)- 1
During which a second action potential
can not be elicited whatever is the strength
. of the stimulus (excitability is zero)
:Relative Refractory Period (RRP)- 2
During which the nerve can not be
stimulated unless the stimulus is stronger
.than usual (excitability is below normal)

Factors Affecting Excitability of Nerve

:Increase excitability-1
:Increase Na permeability (Depolarize) Low extracellular Ca, Veratrine
.Increase extracellular K concentration Decrease excitability (membrane stabilizers) -2
:Decreased Na permeabilityHigh extracellular Ca, local anesthesia:Cocain
. Decrease extracellular K concentration -

Nerve Conductivity
Action potential once generated, it travels
along the length of the nerve fiber in both
.directions
Normally impulse travels in one direction i.e.
Orthodromic conduction: from cell body
.along its axon to its termination
.Antiorthodromic conduction: is opposite
Velocity of conduction is increased by
increased diameter of nerve fiber & myelin

Conduction in myelinated Nerve Fibers

(Salutatory Conduction)
The action potentials are only generated at
the nodes of Ranvier i.e action potential in
one node acts as stimulus for generation
.of new action potentials at adjacent nodes
The positive charges jump from the resting
.node to the adjacent active one
:Importance of Salutatory Conduction
.It increases velocity of conduction 50 folds . It conserve energy for the axon -

Neuromuscular Transmission
:Neuromuscular Junction
It is the area between nerve endings of alpha
.motor neurons and skeletal muscle fibers
Axon terminals of motor neuron (end feet or
.Knobs) contain acetyl choline vesicles
Motor end plate membrane contain acetyl
choline receptors and extracellular space
.contains choline esterase enzyme

Steps of Neuromuscular Transmission

.Arrival of action potential- 1
Nerve impulse increases permeability of
the membrane to Ca triggering rupture of
. acetyl choline vesicles
.Postsynaptic response- 2
.End plate potential- 3
.Acetyl choline degradation- 4

Properties of Neuromuscular Junction

.Unidirectional- 1
.Delay- 2
.Fatigue- 3
.Effects of ions- 4
:Effects of drugs- 5
.Drugs stimulate NMT.Drugs block NMT -