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AAT Bioquest

Why does the size of an action potential not change?

Posted July 3, 2024


Answer

This consistency in the size of an action potential is due to the properties of the voltage-gated ion channels involved in generating the action potential. When the threshold is reached, these channels open in a predictable manner, allowing sodium ions to enter the neuron and potassium ions to exit, which generates the action potential of a fixed size.

The intensity of a stimulus is coded into the frequency of the action potentials that are generated. Hence, a stronger stimulus increases the frequency or number of action potentials but it does not increase the size of the action potential. 

Additional resources

Influence of low and high frequency inputs on spike timing in visual cortical neurons

Cell/Cytoplasmic Membrane Potential Activity & Analysis

Screen Quest™ Membrane Potential Assay Kit *Red Fluorescence*