WELCOME TO SEMINER

NERVE IMPULSE
PROPAGATION

PRESENTED BY-
PARAN MILI
ROLL NO:-064
JINTUMONI BORAH
ROLL NO:-92
BSC 3RD SEMESTER
DATE-O4/10/2023
 CONTENT
 Introduction
 Structure of a nerve cell
 Nerve impulse propagation along neuron
 Polarization (Resting Potential)
 Depolarization (Action Potential)
 Repolarization
 Propagation of action potential as an impulse
(B)Saltatory conduction
 Neurotransmission
  INTRODUCTION
1. Nerve impulse: Nerve impulse is an overall physiological changes that occur in a neuron
due to mechanical, chemical or electrical disturbance created by a stimulus. It propagate
through axon, synapse and neuromuscular junction is called Nerve Impulse conduction.
o A nerve impulse is a gradual physicochemical
change in a nerve fiber’s membrane that occurs
after stimulation.
o It helps to send a record of sensation or a signal
from a receptor.
o It also carries information along the neuron and
throughout the nervous system

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  Structure of a nerve cell
1) Dendrite - conducts "signal" toward the cell body
[input zone]
o Often short, numerous & highly
branched
o Signal comes from sensory cell or
neighboring neuron
2) Axon - usually a single fiber -- [conducting zone]
 conducts signal away from cell body to another
neuron or effector cell
3) Axon terminal
o A cluster of branches (100's to 1000's)
o Each with a bulblike synaptic knob
o Relays signal to next neuron / effector cell

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 Nerve impulse propagation along neuron
• Propagation of nerve impulse along nerve fibre can be summarized in three
steps
1) Polarization (Resting Potential)
2) Depolarization (Action Potential)
3) Repolarization

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 1)Polarization (Resting Potential)
“Resting potential may be defined as the difference in voltage between the inside and outside of the
cell as measured across the cell membrane.”

o When a neuron is not being stimulated, it maintains a resting

potential Ranges from -40 to -90 millivolts (mV) Average about
-70 V
 Two major forces act on ions in establishing the resting membrane
potential:-

1) Electrical potential produced by unequal distribution of

charges
2) Concentration gradient produced by unequal
concentrations of molecules from one side of the
membrane to the other

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o Due to difference in concentration of ions, Na+ ion tends to diffuse into the
axoplasm and K+ ion tends to diffuse outside the axoplasm.
o The membrane of neuron at resting is more permeable to K+ ion than Na+ ion.
So, K+ leaves the neuron faster than Na+ enter the neuron.
o The difference in permeability results in accumulation of high concentration of
cation (+ve charged ion) outside the neuron compared to the concentration of
cation inside.
o This state of resting neuron is called Polarized state and it is electro-negatively
charged.

o
2) Depolarization (Action Potential):
o Any stimulus beyond the threshold can initiate an impulse.
o When such stimulus is applied in the resting neuron, it opens the sodium channel. Now the
permeability of Na+ ion suddenly increases at the point of stimulus causing depolarization.
o The diffusion of Na+ ion increases by 10 times from outside to inside. As a result the axoplasm
become positively charges, which is exact opposite to polarized state, so called as depolarized
state or reverse polarized state.
o The depolarization of the membrane stimulates the adjacent voltage channel, so the action
potential passes as a wave along the length of neuron.

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 3) Repolarization
o When the concentration of Na+ ion inside axoplasm increases, the permeability to Na+
decreases and the sodium channel starts to close.

o Now the voltage gated K+ channels are opened which results in significant K+ outflow and a
reduction in the electropositivity of cells. This is the repolarisation phase and its main
objective is the restoration of the resting potential of the membrane.

o This repolarization phase possess more electronegativity in the membrane potential than in
the usual resting membrane potential . This phase is called hyperpolarisation phase. After
hyperpolarization again the resting state is attain and the NaK atpase pumps are activated
again and the processes start again in resting state

o The entire process of polarization, depolarization and repolarization occur within fraction of
seconds. Now, again the neuron is read for another impulse.

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 hyperpolarization

(Fig:-An action potential speeds along an axonin milliseconds. Sodium ions flow in and cause the action potentiaL, and
then potassium ions flow out to reset the resting potential)
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  Impulse conduction:
• Transmission of nerve impulses is very rapid. However, nerve impulse conduction
along unmyelinated neuron is slow than that of myelinated neuron. It is because,
the myelin sheath act as insulator, so that the impulse have to jump from one node
of Raniver to another.
• This speed up the conduction process, and this type of conduction is known
as Saltatory conduction. This type is shown in myelinated neurons.
• Continuous impulse conduction occurs in
non-myelinated neuron. The action potential
travels along the entire length of the axon.

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 References
o Class notes

o Cell and Molecular Biology by Gerald Karp

o Cell and Molecular Biology, 8th ed.E.D.P. Robertis and E.M.F. De Robertis

o Net source:- www.freeman.karp.in

o ZOOLOGY FOR DEGREE STUDENS; V.K. Agarwal

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THANK YOU