
Muscle fibers and neurons are regarded as electrically excitable cells because their plasma membranes exhibit voltage changes in response to stimulation. The study of the electrical activity of cells, called electrophysiology, is a key to understanding nervous activity, muscle contraction, the heartbeat, and other physiological phenomena.
Why are muscle cells electrically excitable?
Muscle fibers and neurons are regarded as electrically excitable cells because their plasma membranes exhibit voltage changes in response to stimulation. The study of the electrical activity of cells, called electrophysiology, is a key to understanding nervous activity, muscle contraction, the heartbeat, and other physiological phenomena.
What are excitable cells?
Excitable Cells: Nerve and Muscle. Stimulation of Nerves: Neurons are stimulated at dendrites by a number of types of stimuli such as -the binding of a ligand (chemical messengers). -mechanical distortion (pressure). light and sound. Chemical Excitation:The stimulus received at the dendrite changes the permeability of the local membrane to.
What is the basis for the excitation of a cell?
The basis for their excitation is an electrical charge difference (voltage) called the membrane potential, which occurs across the plasma membranes of all cells. Nervous and muscular tissues respond quickly to outside stimuli by means of changes in membrane potential.
Why are excitable cells depolarized during chemical excitation?
because there is a postive charge of excitable cells the cells are at rest trigger zone in chemical excitation is also known as the axon hillock excitation or stimulated cell is depolarized more negative than RMP (resting membrance potential) and are less likely to fire is known as
What does it mean to be an excitable cell?
Excitable cell. Definition: Refers to the ability of some cells to be electrically excited resulting in the generation of action potentials. Neurons, muscle cells (skeletal, cardiac, and smooth), and some endocrine cells (e.g., insulin-releasing pancreatic β cells) are excitable cells.
What makes excitable tissues excitable?
Neurons are identified as excitable cells because they have the ability to be electrically excited resulting in the generation of action potentials. Other examples of excitable cells are skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle cells (Chapter 5) and secretory cells of the pancreas.
Why are nerve and muscle cells excitable?
Muscle and nerve cells are considered to be "excitable" because they're capable of transmitting action potentials after electrical or chemical stimulation sufficient to depolarize the plasma membrane.
Are muscle cells excitable?
Like neurons, muscle is an excitable tissue, in that it can conduct or transmit electrical impulses (respond to stimuli). 3 muscle types: skeletal, cardiac and smooth.
What is excitability of a muscle?
Excitability is the ability to respond to a stimulus, which may be delivered from a motor neuron or a hormone. Extensibility is the ability of a muscle to be stretched.
What makes a neuron an excitable cell?
The excitability of neurons, the ability to generate a large, rapid change of membrane voltage in response to a very small stimulus, is based on the action potential.