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trin trin
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12 years ago
Why are sodium and potassium important to autorhythmic cells?

Thank you Slight Smile    trin
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12 years ago
Autorhythmic cells are self-stimulating & contract without any external stimulation. The action potentials that occur in these two types of cells are a bit different:

http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/pacemakerpotential.gif

http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/myocardactionpotential.gif

On the left is the action potential of an autorhythmic cell; on the right, the action potential of a contractile cell.

Autorhythmic cells exhibit PACEMAKER POTENTIALS. Depolarization is due to the inward diffusion of calcium (not sodium as in nerve cell membranes). Depolarization begins when:

  • the slow calcium channels open (4),
  • then concludes (quickly) when the fast calcium channels open (0).
  • Repolarization is due to the outward diffusion of potassium (3).

Hope this helps/ Thinking Face
trin Author
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12 years ago
Thank you very much Slight Smile
Volunteers are seldom paid; not because they are worthless, but because they are PRICELESS!
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