An electrical change travels
Follow a signal as changes in the cell membrane propagate along an axon.
The picture in words
- Resting condition
- The membrane maintains an electrical difference.
- Threshold
- Sufficient input can initiate an action potential.
- Propagation
- Changes at one part of the axon help trigger changes farther along.
- Recovery
- The membrane returns toward its resting condition.
Reading the illustration
The highlighted membrane region advances along the axon. Each segment represents a local electrical change that helps trigger the next segment.
Try a question
How does the sequence explain a signal traveling along an axon?
Show the explanation
Successive membrane regions change as the signal propagates. The drawing organizes that process into stages for study.
Read the sources
- Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/3-2-cells-of-the-nervous-systemSelected rendered passages: Cell anatomy, synapse and electrochemical signaling passages.