NERVE IMPULSE (IT'S GENERATION) -
- It is an electro chemical phenomenon manifested through ionic movement across cell membrane.
- It was discovered by A. L. Hodykin & A. F. Huxley (1939).
- Impulse is a change in resting membrane potential of the cell towards positive side, also called as action potential or spike potential.
- All cells bear positive charge outside (due to Na+) and negativity inside thus membrane remain in polarised state.
- This potential across the membrane can be measured by putting electrodes inside & outside connected to a galvanometer or potentiometer or a voltameter.
- When the cell is at normal resting state, the potential in animal cell ranges from - 60 mv to - 90 mv, this is called resting potential (nerve cell has about - 70 mv)
- Any ext. stimulus reaching the membrane causes change in its permeability and Na+ starts rushing inside which results in the rise of potential towards positive side. This process of charge in potential (action potential) is called as depolarisation.
- To bring the condition back to normal in nerve cell it is followed by exit of K+ out of the cell which results in resumption of the resting potential known as repolarisation.
- Since the rate of exit of K+ is very slow while rate of entry of Na+ is very fast, this result in rise & stay of action potential for some time.