VPB 121: Veterinary Physiology - II (2+1)

ACTION POTENTIAL OF NERVE AND MUSCLE FIBERS

• The action potentials are the rapid changes in the resting membrane potential.  Nerve signals are transmitted by action potentials.
• Each action potential begins with a sudden change from the normal resting negative potential to a positive potential, and ends with an equally rapid change back again to normal negative potential.
• The action potential initiated moves along the fiber until it comes to the end of the fiber and thus spreads the impulse or signal along the fiber.