Resting Membrane Potential

[banana_phone]

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Quick question I'm having trouble wrapping my head around in prep, from my old physiology notes:

What would the affect be on the resting membrane potential if there were more Na+ leak channels? Would this make the potential more positive or negative? I think it would make it more positive, since that is the effect that depolarization (and the influx of Na+ ions) has.

 

[ElectricNoogie]

Quick question I'm having trouble wrapping my head around in prep, from my old physiology notes:

What would the affect be on the resting membrane potential if there were more Na+ leak channels? Would this make the potential more positive or negative? I think it would make it more positive, since that is the effect that depolarization (and the influx of Na+ ions) has.

There are several good practice test Qs on this so you will see it again and again. If Membrane Potential is the voltage difference across the cell membrane when the cell is at rest, then leak channels allow Na+ or K+ to leak down their concentration gradients. Open/leaky Na channels means that Na+ will tend to leak INTO the cell, making the membrane potential (which is the relative potential of the interior of the membrane) more +/ less - Hope this helps.

Good luck!