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action potential
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Diagram comparing action potential conduction in myelinated and unmyelinated axons, showing a neuron with labeled cell body, myelin sheath, nodes of Ranvier, and the flow of electrical signals along each type of axon. ion permeance and action potential graph depicting the five phases of the action potential of the heart muscle Diagram showing the chemical transmission of nerve impulses at a synapse, with labeled steps illustrating neurotransmitter release from the presynaptic terminal, movement across the synaptic cleft, binding to postsynaptic channel receptors, and resulting signal propagation in the nervous system.
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action potential: References & Edit History

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    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

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Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Modified link of Web site: Oregon State University - Anatomy and Physiology 2e - The Action Potential. Oct 02, 2026
Add new Web site: McGovern Medical School - Ionic Mechanisms of Action Potentials. Jul 19, 2025
Add new Web site: American Physiological Society - Physiological Reviews - Cardiac transmembrane ion channels and action potentials: cellular physiology and arrhythmogenic behavior. Feb 26, 2025
Add new Web site: American Physiological Society - Physiological Reviews - Cardiac transmembrane ion channels and action potentials: cellular physiology and arrhythmogenic behavior. Feb 26, 2025
Add new Web site: OpenStax - Anatomy and Physiology 2e - The Action Potential. Jan 03, 2025
Add new Web site: Frontiers - Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience - The wave nature of the action potential. Nov 07, 2024
Add new Web site: University of Minnesota Pressbooks - Introduction to Sensation and Perception - Action Potentials. Sep 27, 2024
Add new Web site: Michigan State University Libraries - Foundations of Neuroscience - Action Potentials. Jul 05, 2024
Add new Web site: McGovern Medical School at UTHealth - Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy - Ionic Mechanisms of Action Potentials. May 23, 2024
Add new Web site: Indiana University Pressbooks - Basic Human Physiology - Action Potentials. Apr 12, 2024
Add new Web site: Verywell Mind - How Do Neurons Fire? Feb 03, 2024
Add new Web site: Oregon State University - Anatomy and Physiology 2e - The Action Potential. Dec 15, 2023
Add new Web site: Teach Me Physiology - Action Potential. Nov 02, 2023
Add new Web site: The University of Queensland - Queensland Brain Institute - Action potentials and synapses. Jun 16, 2023
Add new Web site: Biology LibreTexts - The Action Potential. Dec 19, 2022
Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - Physiology, Action Potential. Sep 13, 2022
Corrected display issue. Dec 12, 2018
Add new Web site: Khan Academy - Neuron action potentials: The creation of a brain signal. Dec 06, 2018
Changed "0.0075" to "βˆ’0.075." Jan 18, 2017
Add new Web site: Raymond Walters College - Action Potential. Oct 20, 2010
Added new Web site: Univeristy of Washington - Neuroscioence for Kids - Lights, Camera, Action Potential. May 03, 2007
Article revised. May 19, 2005
Article revised. Dec 14, 1998
Article added to new online database. Jul 20, 1998
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