Exercise 3: Neurophysiology of Nerve Impulses: Activity 1: The Resting Membrane Potential Lab Report

Pre-lab Quiz Results

You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.
1. What is the approximate concentration of K+ inside a typical cell (intracellular concentration)?
You correctly answered: a. 150 mM
2. What is the approximate concentration of K+ outside a cell (extracellular concentration)?
You correctly answered: b. 5 mM
3. What is the approximate concentration of Na+ inside a cell (intracellular concentration)?
You correctly answered: b. 5 mM
4. What is the approximate concentration of Na+ outside a cell (extracellular concentration)?
You correctly answered: a. 150 mM
04/09/13 page 1
04/09/13 page 2
Experiment Results
Predict Question:
Predict Question: Predict what will happen to the resting membrane potential if the extracellular K+ concentration is
increased.
Your answer : a. The resting membrane potential will become more negative.
Stop & Think Questions:
What is the polarity of the resting membrane potential (voltage)?
You correctly answered: b. negative
What does it mean that the voltage just inside the membrane is negative?
You correctly answered: b. There are more negative charges than positive charges just inside the membrane.
The membrane of most cells, including neurons, contains passive, open,
K+ leak channels. Given the normal K+ concentrations and the resultant concentration gradient, which direction would K+
be expected to move (diffuse) through these leak channels?
Your answer : a. into the cell
Correct answer: b. out of the cell
What effect does increasing extracellular K+ have on the net diffusion of K+ out of the cell?
You correctly answered: b. It decreases the net diffusion of K+ .
Which way would Na+ move across the membrane if there were open Na+ channels?
You correctly answered: a. Na+ would diffuse into the cell.
The membrane has open K+ channels, and changing extracellular K+ concentration results in a change in membrane
potential. Changing the extracellular Na+ concentration does not significantly change the membrane potential. What do
your results suggest about the number or state (open or closed) of Na+ channels in the resting membrane of a neuron?
You correctly answered: b. Na+ channels are mostly closed.
Experiment Data:
Extracellular Fluid (ECF) Microelectrode Position Voltage (mV)
Control Cell body extracellular 0
Control Cell body intracellular -70
Control Axon extracellular 0
Control Axon intracellular -70
High K+ Axon intracellular -40
High K+ Axon extracellular 0
High K+ Cell body extracellular 0
High K+ Cell body intracellular -40
Low Na+ Cell body intracellular -72
Low Na+ Cell body extracellular 0
Low Na+ Axon extracellular 0
Low Na+ Axon intracellular -72
04/09/13 page 3
04/09/13 page 4
04/09/13 page 5
04/09/13 page 6
04/09/13 page 7
Post-lab Quiz Results
You scored 66% by answering 2 out of 3 questions correctly.
1. A negative membrane potential was recorded when the tip of the microelectrode was
You correctly answered: d. both inside the cell body and inside the axon.
2. Which of the following caused a change in membrane potential from -70 to -40 in the cell body?
You correctly answered: a. an increase in extracellular K+
3. Which of the following has the most negative voltage?
Your answer: d. between the inside of the axon and the outside of the axon with High K+ ECF
Correct answer: c. between the inside of the axon and the outside of the axon with control K+ ECF
04/09/13 page 8
Review Sheet Results
1. Explain why increasing extracellular K+ reduces the net diffusion of K+ out of the neuron through the K+ leak
channels.
You did not answer this question.
2. Explain why increasing extracellular K+ causes the membrane potential to change to a less negative value. How well
did the results compare with your prediction?
You did not answer this question.
3. Explain why a change in extracellular Na+ did not significantly alter the membrane potential in the resting neuron?
You did not answer this question.
4. Discuss the relative permeability of the membrane to Na+ and K+ in a resting neuron.
You did not answer this question.
5. Discuss how a change in Na+ or K+ conductance would affect the resting membrane potential.
You did not answer this question.