differential membrane permeability
What differential membrane permeability means in Biology A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definition of differential membrane permeability
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Reference: AQA
Potassium ion channels are open at rest while the voltage-gated sodium ion channels are shut, so the membrane is far more permeable to potassium ions than to sodium ions.
Topics that use differential membrane permeability
- Nerve impulses (A-level only) (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- absolute refractory period
- axon and dendrites
- depolarisation
- local currents
- maximum impulse frequency
- myelin sheath
- nodes of Ranvier
- relative refractory period
Using differential membrane permeability in the exam
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