Action Potential in the Neuron

This animation demonstrates the behavior of a typical neuron at its resting membrane potential, and when it reaches an action potential and fires, transmitting an electrochemical signal along the axon. It shows how the various components work in concert: Dendrites, cell body, axon, sodium and potassium ions, voltage-gated ion channels, the sodium-potassium pump, and myelin sheaths. It also shows the stages of an action potential: Polarization, depolarization, and hyperpolarization.
The animation was co-developed by Harvard Extension School's Office of Digital Teaching and Learning, and instructors for the courses in neurobiology and human anatomy.
Learn more about Harvard Extension School: www.extension.harvard.edu/?ut...

[@bluehourcore]

you literally just explained what takes up more than 10 pages of my textbook in a video that's shorter than 15 minutes. tysm!

[@niahda8687]

Bnerbatt 😭

[@rodney9886]

facts!!!

[@HarryPotter-rl9np]

Yaa it's too short,but it is good for revision

[@elperro746]

This is one paragraph on my text book and she made It look like 10 pages. Shitty explanation

[@yourfavouritescepticx8969]

That’s what I’m saying. These textbooks just confuse ppl 😂. I always come to KZbin with these textbook topics

[@travisk5589]

Can I say that I went to Harvard after watching this video

[@sanabatol204]

Travis k yes! 👏 Be proud of yourself but remain humble - UofH Student :)

[@krrishkai]

I think you should be allowed to

[@uzi6839]

@Albert Darian you bitch stfu

[@uzi6839]

@Howard Bishop it’s a scam m8 they steal all your information

[@angelusvastator1297]

Lmaoo

[@GGG965]

Every sentence is literally a ¨punchline¨. I wish schools around the world had the ability to convey the material that way, instead of confusing their students. well done harvard.

[@naglaakhaled5259]

Honestly yes school books just throw in a bunch of unorganized data and they only give half of the information so they can confuse you even more

[@tinyr101]

@@naglaakhaled5259 I’m currently in grad school and I feel that this statement is 100% correct. During courses, the professor/ textbook throws a bunch of information at you but you really only need the main points to succeed on tests/work outside of the classroom. Universities just need an excuse to keep students in the classroom longer and make them feel as if they ‘need’ all this information and need to pay for ridiculous tuition in order to be successful…

[@Addison0526]

@@tinyr101 yet we’re learning the same stuff, arguably in a better format, on KZbin for free 🥴

[@tinyr101]

@@Addison0526 YEP, and I still have to waste my time in a lecture room where I wont benefit from what the prof says 🐔

[@Lydianon]

@@tinyr101 It would be wonderful if they turned that around - learned the main points- the bare bones first and THEN fill in all the details. It not only could save time but lets you organize information in a more logical manner. You'd retain alot more. Because throwing it all at you at once... It defeats the whole purpose. Memorizing words and phrases without understanding them is why kids forget half the stuff they needed just to pass a test.

[@rachelthellammaa3923]

I wish everyone well for the upcoming test! You got this! *Update: I'm now in college and I found myself coming back to this video since I have an exam tomorrow. Still extremely helpful!

[@periwinkle1812]

Thank you very much🐼🐼 🌺🌺

[@denissemedina4619]

Thank you! 🥺🙏🏻

[@lauragarcia6959]

Did you pass? :/

[@ogechiobinka2031]

Thank you.

[@NathanHarrison7]

KZbin University!

[@mernus7512]

Make the video x1.25, then it becomes normal

[@JP_xix_xxxi]

😂

[@rayanmansour4358]

True 😂

[@simranc7690]

It took me an hour to get through the whole video because I kept pausing it to get almost two pages of notes out of it. Thank you so much!

[@mbalensiefer]

Do "Open Transcript" next time, and copy->Paste. :))

[@elamathielam9084]

@@mbalensiefer wre s the transcript?

[@prerna3058]

Me too

[@Noor-mu1bl]

Lol I thought it was just me!

[@dannichols6261]

@@mbalensiefer "open transcript" is good, but it is sometimes *better* to write your own notes from what you're hearing, as doing so likely 'sets' the info into your brain better, I think.

[@_Understand_it]

This is by far the best explanation of action potentials I've ever come across. Thanks!

[@user-nn4qw6ix4b]

this 14 minute video should have been maybe 3 minutes. much better vids out there

[@maheen97]

this 13 min video covered this content way better than my professor's 40 minute video

[@mikeish6640]

If anyone is wondering, there are things called leaky K+ gates that always allow a little bit of K+ ion movement across the membrane. This is how the resting potential is restored after hyperpolarisation (when it goes to negative). Because it's so negative inside the cell (below the resting potential of -70mV) K+ ions will move into the cell because of the electrical gradient, sodium ions can't their gates are shut. This movement of K+ ions into the cell makes it more positive and restores the resting potential. The sodium potassium ion pumps do help a little to maintain the electrical gradient, but mostly they keep the chemical gradient (Na+ in high concentration outside, K+ high conc. inside) with the leaky K+ (how many / how leaky they are) determining the electrical gradient and therefore the resting potential.

[@booyah9402]

Sorry, can you explain this better? I am not understanding how the potential is restored again after hyperpolarization. If 3 sodiums and 2 potassiums pass through, wouldn't the cell be losing 1 negative ion all the time, making it even more negative?

[@mikeish6640]

@@booyah9402 losing a net of one positive ion and making it more negative yes. The K+ gates "leak" a little bit. These gates are not the ion channels pumping the 3Na+ / 2K+, they are gates not channels. They stop most the K+ ions moving when shut, but a few still get past even when shut. When the cell becomes very negative on the inside the electrical difference (the potential difference across the cell membrane) is large enough so K+ ions are forced back into the cell through the K+ ion channels. This is moving from low conc. of K+ ions on the outside to high on the inside, so is moving against the concentration gradient and how diffusion would work, but the electrical difference is so big it pushes positive K+ ions into the cell to restore the electrical gradient. NA+ ions can not be pushed into the cell as their gates do not "leak". Did that help?

[@Kak570]

​​@@booyah9402actually 3 factors contribute to RMP: 1.Na+/k+ pumps. 2.leaky k+ channels 3.leaky Na+ channels U must know permeability of k+ is much more than Na+ because of the presence of large amount of k+ channels than Na+ channels on membrane (approx. In the ratio of 100:1) As a result the cell membranes is significantly more permeable to k+ than to Na+.

[@pratyaydatta4678]

In that case you can consider, more sodium ion enter the cell during depolarization than potassium ions that goes out during repolarization. @@booyah9402

[@sahandsabahi4991]

Thank you. I was confused by the last part of the video where it says pumping 3 sodium out and 2 potassium in restores the cell from hyperpolarized state to resting potential. I think that last part is a bit misleading since the pump always makes the cell more negative.

[@davivvd1994980]

this 13 min video covers four of my lectures...

[@yunkegu8460]

lmao

[@mrkrieg1963]

It covers 2 minutes of mine! That’s why I needed this

[@jaffaesque]

It's about 1/4 of my first lecture for the course...

[@travisk5589]

Sam, check out the crash course video. Each sentence is packed with info

[@rawanghanem1607]

same

[@Alex-dp1bk]

My professor couldn't make this make sense for the entire two semesters I had him. This one video explained it all to me in just 13:11. Thank you.

[@teresagaines5087]

I’m on page 4 of notes! I can’t believe how much this video is helping me understand what I believe is going to be a large topic on my midterm for an SFSU psychology course titled “Perception.” I’ve been struggling to conceptualize brain structures and brain activity that is now included in my courses. I’ve never seen any of it before and have had to slowly teach myself through videos like this when, even after re-reading the dense textbook, I still struggle to keep it all clear. As a very passionate psych undergrad who has never had to take chemistry or any class past intermediate biology, this video made me feel like I really missed out on appreciating science classes more because now that it was explained in a way I can understand, it blew my freakin mind. God I love learning.

[@aishasingh8433]

Literally my teacher explained this concept in the worst way possible 😐 thanks to this video

[@katjorbar]

It all finally makes sense! This video is brilliant in its simplicity and cuts out all the fluff that made it complicated!

[@DantheSWAMPY]

As a first year neuroscience student, my lectures on the introduction to this topic was covered over 3 hours and was very confusing to understand. This managed to keep the level of detail needed whilst keeping it simple and also under 15 mins... Thank you so much, this really helped.

[@nrubab8222]

Are you an undergrad student?

[@DantheSWAMPY]

@@nrubab8222 yes

[@aakashsaha8400]

I was so baffled by the Neuroscience introductory class. This video made me understand the process so easily. More videos on topics like this are appreciated. Thank you...

[@davidthomaschwclmt5925]

I wish my A and P teacher would just show this video. its so helpful

[@leilacx1088]

great video, i understand why Harvard students are so smart, if your explanations are this good online, I cannot imagine how great the lecture are in person.

[@chrism5213]

Thank you so much! This video is just what I need, it’s clear and to the point.

[@theorionnebula9746]

as a homeschooled kid making my own cutriculum, thank you for this resource. i learned about ion channels the other day and was like “wtf those things do” then was looking into the specific cell functions of neurons and thwy came up bigtime. everything is connected

[@veroniquelevesque3998]

I can't thank you enough for this video. I am a big visual learner and this should be presented in all physiology classes. Wow!

[@kristinafernando1072]

this is THE BEST action potential video out there!!! I've been struggling for ages and this video coverseverything in such a comprehensive and easy to understand manner. THANK YOU!

[@nicholasbeck1558]

Thank you for making your work available to all. I really enjoy your excellent presentations.

[@tenzinwangmu1757]

So helpful ,this is my second time watching and revising AP

[@melissahumphrey4331]

Excellent Video! Thank you for speaking slowly and clearly. Very helpful!

[@spacemaster8831]

I am 14 and obsessed with a level psychology: This video was very useful, particularly for clarification and being clear and concise! For anybody confused: Basically the dendrites are decorated with synapses, which don't quite touch the next axel, but have literally less than 1 millionth of an inch between them. The dendrites decide whether to pass the stimulation on, and if yes, then the process begins. The stimulation is passed through the cell membrane (soma), through the axel (which is often covered in a layer of protective fat called the myelin sheath) where the action potential then reaches the axel terminal, and the action potential "jumps" across the synaptic gap and into there receptor sites (like a key fitting into a lock).

[@jem3706]

so smart for a 14 year old! keep it up!

[@satoshinakamoto7253]

@@jem3706 he reads, american teenagers don't read

[@michelleplanton1873]

Thank you! I have been reading all my material supplied and my textbooks but have been struggling to get my head around this. Now I get it! Such a brilliant and clear video.

[@NikkiJohnsonFreeThinker]

This is a FANTASTIC EXPLANATION! It includes so many helpful details that are simply not covered in other videos about this subject. Thank you so much!

[@ahmedelfaki2526]

Can I conmect with you plazzz

[@rubybhatia618]

This is simplest vedio on Action potential....very helpful in clearing my physiology exam

[@hazelpetrick8340]

this vid gave me potential to do some serious note-taking action

[@user-ei8et1fy8e]

Haha

[@sarahdadswell3817]

Such a brilliant, clear explanation with great animation. Huge help. Thank you

[@F8LDragon2]

Still amazes me that this universe developed such a complex organization of matter

[@user-ll4gv5sg9u]

Universe > super power > creator >✨ God ✨ 🥰 That's the one and only Truth to explain these amazing super complex operations .

[@F8LDragon2]

@@user-ll4gv5sg9u why does the universe have to be created? If it was created what created the creator? If the creator could be deemed eternal, why couldn’t this universe simply be eternal?

[@Geminish15]

Alien overlords 👽👑

[@F8LDragon2]

@@Geminish15 if that’s so, how did they develop? Must be just as fascinating

[@hypnosisbyalex9459]

omg this is the best easiest way to understand this process, I got so much confused from the book and from my teacher!!! but here you are explaining so simple !!!! thank you so much, I finally got it on time for my exams, are in 2 days!! THANK YOU

[@Rockerfeller26]

Okay...this was just about the best narration I needed to understand the concept. Just on point.

[@leonardocardoso1627]

This is by far the best explanation on KZbin for the Hodkin-Huxley model. After watching it one, I understand everything about it. Amazing work, whoever made this. I'm sending you a virtual hug of appreciation ahaha

[@alessandromattoli298]

Absolutely clear, each sentence is an important aspect, amazing job harvard

[@jagannatha.hirave6601]

Magnificent, it can't get better than this. Thank you Harvard.

[@britanieblackhurst9093]

This video is amazing! It finally makes sense!

[@julicookful]

Ridiculously clear and helpful! I'm using it to develop content for "neurobiology and addiction" presentations. Thank you!!

[@marisolceja]

This explanation with the graphics is super good. It definitely helped me learned my class material better. Thank you Harvard.

[@emmakaleck34]

thank you so much. my teacher doesn't tell me shit and i was lost...then I found this video and all of my hope was restored. I love you even though i really hate action potential ur awesome of this i could cry I'm so happy. and I'm not even exaggerating

[@ulu_al_albab]

thanks so much. I think Harvard is the best channel that can explained resting membrane potential process clearly with good animation. I have been searching video like this since yesterday. I get the AHA moment!

[@veronicanoordzee6440]

Finally a video with some content! Extension School? For an extended career? Of for extended knowledge? Watch the playlists and you know.

[@ericpalmateer806]

Big thank you to Ethan Contini-Field, Dr. Jennifer Carr, and Michael Davis for putting together such a wonderfully helpful video. Good job!

[@Geminish15]

When did we start listing names alphabetically by FIRST NAME instead of last name? 🤨

[@channelofbd5404]

This video removed my complexities simply. Loved the way it made me understand the whole fact.

[@sharonedigitale]

This was a pleasure to watch. I’m not in school, just here for curiosity and I thoroughly enjoyed learning it because it was slow, simply explained, and illustrated so well. Thank you.

[@Lydianon]

I'm not in school now either. Interesting how much more i enjoy learning when i do it just for fun.

[@alirazamughal9606]

Best video. That Video helped me to understand the process much easily

[@iceblaze3043]

4 years later and still saving lives

[@theundeadvolke9574]

You have really made me understand what this topic entails..... Im totally speechless after listening to the video

[@vitoria96634]

Simple video! Perfect for you to have an idea about the subject before diving into it! Thank you!

[@tane1038]

This is a fantasic video. Very thorough, so well explained!

[@razaaan4299]

Thank you so much ! I've been struggling with this for a whole month and I finally got it. Thanks again.

[@Zetsuke4]

Woesw this harvard content is incredible!!

[@ailajiezelperez9454]

Love the video, totally understandable in such a short time. ❤️

[@andreakurotova]

I am having and exam in about 20 minutes. I was really worried, because I didn't understand the lecture but I found this video and it really helped me. English is not my first language so I was checking my notes as I was watching this and I understood everything. Great video. Thanks 😀

[@expectopatronum5038]

this literally covered the whole unit . tysm!!

[@MukeshKumar-xl8tp]

i was astonished by the way they presented this video.Hats off!!!!!!!

[@sibusisomathibela1451]

mind blown i've been struggling with this concept all semester and it was explained in less than 15 minutes

[@thenightdances21]

THIS IS THE BEST EXPLAINATION ON HERE!! even better than Khan academy if you are studying for the MCAT or classes! It covered every detail in my 2019 -2020 Kaplan MCAT books! Thank you!

[@namukalisiwali3261]

The explanation was so clear...ive understand it most compared to the other videos ive tried watching

[@mercychepi]

My professor confused the heck out of me. This video was very easy to understand and grasp. I never thought I would say this, but Harvard is saving my grade

[@amsa2462]

Such a well explained video! Thank you so much for uploading this!

[@RajveerSingh-fx2bd]

Love the visuals!

[@monaoconnell5650]

Excellent! I have the idea but will have to listen several more times. Thank you so much.

[@reyesgarcia1856]

The best video of this theme. Thanks for saving my life

[@miriammuller40]

This video was a life-saver. Thank u.

[@user-eb4hc4gx5y]

This video is just BRILLIANT. Thank you SO much!!

[@KitambaraMakwani]

Your briefly explanation have cleared my mind satisfactorily

[@geoffreychawesimfukwe8486]

Well explained in a simplicitic way, best video so far covering the very topic, Thanks.

[@arghyadas2836]

I always come to this video whenever I need to revise my concepts. This video is packed with valuable information!

[@user-wg3ym5pg7c]

This literally help me than those videos I have seen for action potentials and resting potential also the axon myelinated thing...... it's literally telling you all the basics which is why it's more understandable....very greatful for this video💯

[@midlifekris6517]

Wonderful video! Thank you for helping me to better understand Action Potential in the Neuron.

[@95Jamecia]

YOU ARE A FANTASTIC PERSON. THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Sureshsadanandan]

Fabulous extraordinary perfect !!!!!!! thanks a bunch 😄😄😄😄

[@oykubozalioglu1465]

The best video on this subject! Thank you

[@camm9397]

BEST EXPLANATION I'VE SEEN !!!!

[@stephenhelmstillery7684]

This is fantastic, except for the part about the membrane potential being restored by the Na-K ATPase. One can poison that pump with ouabain, and it's a long time before action potentials begin to change shape or to fail. It's more useful to think of that active transporter as only charging the battery, and all of the voltage changes during an action potential coming about only from opening and closing of the voltage-gated channels.

[@yanitzadelgadotresord4779]

Very helpful video, thank you!

[@fitnesswithmaria3701]

Excellent explanation which included plenty of detail. Thank you.

[@pnar6412]

Freaking love everyone who contributed to this gem of a video LOVE YALL

[@prschuster]

Very complete and concise. Excellent graphics.

[@kinjoya4926]

This was the most helpful video is my high school week, the details are perfectly explained and opened my eyes to how beautiful the science world is. This helped me way more than my teacher could ever. Her explanation are so low and pea brained compared to this whole of art. Thank you so much -santanPwopa

[@zahranakhostin9101]

perfect . full of information.thanks

[@sheetalmahajan4150]

It was the best explanation I could ever find. Thank you

[@user-sq7il5dv6k]

I enjoyed that was this was explained. Straight to the actual details of what and how this happens. Great job!

[@AAMD1212]

This is wonderful and well made. Thank you.

[@angelapritchard7737]

Easy to follow explanation. Thanks so much!!!

[@omalsadahmad-yn9vu]

شكرا لك على هذا الفيديو كان شرح ممتاز و ممتع

[@muthuveljothi4619]

Very well articulated. Thank you

[@ceejay1684]

video makes this much more easier to digest. thanks harvard

[@quiet-iris]

for anyone still struggling like I was, this is how i was able to kinda understand it; the purpose of the action potential is to allow neurotransmitters to release at the axon terminal/synapse. the wave of electrical charge travels all the way down and once it gets to where the neurotransmitter is stored in the vesicles near the synapse several things can happen but usually, there is a few more ion exchanges that end up with the vesicle membrane fusing with the cell membrane so that the neurotransmitter is floating around the OUTSIDE of the neuron. then the neurotransmitter can bind to the postsynaptic cell, open ligand-gated ion channels and create another action potential. and sometimes the neurotransmitter can bind to multiple cells my teacher doesn't care if we understand how it works, he just wants us to be able to parrot the steps of the sodium and potassium channels and the depolarization hyperpolarization and repolarization, and it was driving me crazy not knowing how this actually can help cells communicate with each other, so i hope this helps. i don't have full understanding yet or anything near it but i'm getting the vibe that information, thoughts, memories etc is more carried in the frequency, organization and order of which cells the nerve impulses go to

[@lauramanyeruke]

This video was very helpful. Thank you!

[@kunalkotiwal8774]

Perfection at peak

[@itielmartinez7824]

Now I see what does the true power of Harvard looks like...

[@sunrose6372]

Thank you! This helped me understand action potentials a lot better.

[@sagnikguha7010]

Very well explained... Saved my time .

[@connollysoviet2359]

Fantastic presentation. Well done. Very well done indeed.

[@user-ek7cy2lx2t]

Great information, great animations, and a great narrator, thanks a lot

[@ibtihalibrahim3926]

It's perfect. Thanks a lot

[@chitrabalakrishnan2725]

Thank you so much!!! Wonderful clarity!