Why is the inside of a neuron negatively charged?
Posted July 3, 2024
Answer
There are three main factors that cause the inside of a neuron to be negatively charged:
- The sodium-potassium pump expels three Sodium (Na+) ions from the cell for every two Potassium (K+) ions that it lets into the cell.
- There is an abundance of negatively charged proteins inside the cell but a low concentration of negatively charged proteins outside the cell.
- Neuronal membranes are more permeable to K+ than to Na+, leading to a net loss of K+ ions from the neuron, which significantly contributes to the negative charge inside. This is the most significant factor that contributes to the negative charge inside of a neuron.
Additional resources
Introducing Membrane Charge and Membrane Potential to T Cell Signaling
Cell/Cytoplasmic Membrane Potential Activity & Analysis
Screen Quest™ Membrane Potential Assay Kit *Red Fluorescence*