toxin preventing voltage gated sodium channels from closing?

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TinySeahorse

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I keep seeing this question - If a toxin prevents voltage-gated sodium channels from closing, what will occur? Some answers I am finding online state that the cell will be conducting APs continuously, others say that the cell will be permanently depolarized and eventually die. I don't understand how either of these could be true

I am assuming that if the voltage-gated sodium channels cannot close, they are stuck in the inactivated state.
If they are stuck in the inactivated state, the cell should still be able to repolarize due to potassium channels pumping potassium out of the cell (like during a normal AP)
The only difference should be that the cell cannot receive any more action potentials because the cell is stuck in the inactivated state... what am I missing?

Specifically this question:
If a toxin prevents voltage gated sodium channels from closing, which of the following will occur?

I. Voltage-gated potassium channels will open but not close
II. The membrane will not repolarize to the normal resting membrane potential
III. The Na+/K+ ATPase will be inactivated

A. I only
B. II only
C. I and II only
D. II and III only

Answer - C

I - True; VG K+ channels will not close if the membrane is not repolarized
II - True; Na+ ions will continue to flow into the cell making the cell more positive and away from resting membrane potential which is negative
III - False; Na+/K+ ATPase is always functioning

Can someone elaborate?

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The reason you are struggling with this question is because you are linking the sodium channels being open with the neuron being inactivated. In the normal resting state, the sodium channels are closed and the inside of the neuron is negatively charged compared with the outside. When an action potential arrives, the sodium channels activate, open, and sodium comes rushing into the cell resulting in depolarization. If a toxin was present that blocked the sodium channels from closing (examples of such toxins include certain scorpion and sea anemone toxins and DDT), the cell would remain depolarized. Normally, voltage-gated potassium channels open to help restore the negative resting potential. Without the sodium channels closing, however, the negative resting potential would not be restored.

Hope that helps clear it up.
 
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