Action potential
- Pronunciation
- /ak-shun po-ten-shee-al/
- Category
- Neurophysiology
- Singular
- Action potential
- Plural
- Action potentials
Definition
A rapid change in membrane potential that propagates along an axon, allowing for electrical transmission of information.
Etymology
From Latin 'actus', meaning 'action', and 'potentia', meaning 'power'.
Example
The action potential allows a neuron to transmit signals over long distances.
Related Terms
- Neuronal transmission
- Synapse
- Depolarization
- Repolarization