- #1
bjgawp
- 84
- 0
Hello all.
I just had a few conceptual problems if someone wouldn't mind explaining to me.
When looking at a simple cell membrane, potassium ions tend to move out of the cell along their concentration gradient until its electrical gradient is strong enough to counterbalance it, thus producing its equilibrium potential.
Typically, the equilibrium membrane potential is about -60 mV while that of potassium is -90 mV.
Now, if we increased the concentration of potassium outside, this would cause both the equilibrium membrane and potassium potential to become less in magnitude, right? However, I'm not quite sure how to exactly formulate in words what exactly is going on.
Is it because the presence of the extra external potassium ions compensate for the negative charge inside the cell? Also, I would presume that the concentration gradient outward becomes considerably less and thus the rate of ions flowing out would be as well but I'm not entirely sure how that directly affects membrane potential.
Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
I just had a few conceptual problems if someone wouldn't mind explaining to me.
When looking at a simple cell membrane, potassium ions tend to move out of the cell along their concentration gradient until its electrical gradient is strong enough to counterbalance it, thus producing its equilibrium potential.
Typically, the equilibrium membrane potential is about -60 mV while that of potassium is -90 mV.
Now, if we increased the concentration of potassium outside, this would cause both the equilibrium membrane and potassium potential to become less in magnitude, right? However, I'm not quite sure how to exactly formulate in words what exactly is going on.
Is it because the presence of the extra external potassium ions compensate for the negative charge inside the cell? Also, I would presume that the concentration gradient outward becomes considerably less and thus the rate of ions flowing out would be as well but I'm not entirely sure how that directly affects membrane potential.
Any help would be appreciated, thanks!