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Home Q & A Board Biology-Related Homework Help General Biology
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Brian69 Brian69
wrote...
13 years ago
What would happen if an axon was artificially depolarized in the middle? Which direction would the action potential travel? Both directions? Only one direction? Explain.
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wrote...
#1
Staff Member
13 years ago
Two action potentials will be initiated, one going toward the axon terminal and one going back toward the hillock.
- Master of Science in Biology
- Bachelor of Science
wrote...
#2
13 years ago
That's correct. The reason it goes in one direction normally is that it starts at the beginning of the axon. The sodium ion travels in both directions, but it can only activate the voltage-gated sodium channels downstream because the ones upstream are in their refractory periods until the action potential is over in that location.
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