Lucia is a neuroscientist and she has just finished a series of lab experiments

Question

Lucia is a neuroscientist and she has just finished a series of lab experiments aimed the effect of a new called on the resting membrane potential of neurons and its mechanism of action She gets the evidence Before the drug was applied the potassium (K) concentration inside the cell was 148 m Osm the sodium (Na^+) concentration inside the cell was 10mosm, and the calcium (ca^2+) Concentration inside (Ca) the cell was less than 1 mu osm (a tiny amount). Befores slugtecy was applied, the Ca^2- concentration outside the cell was 2mosm Before slugtecy was applied, the resting membrane potential was -70 mV After slugtecy was applied, the calcium concentration inside the cell was higher compared to before After treating the neuron with slugtecy resting membrane potential was -65mv In neurons that were treated with a chemical that blocks calcium leak channels (eg, they are always open), slugtecy appeared to have no effect on the resting membrane potential. A. Does Flugrecy make the cell more or less excitable? How do you know?

Explanation / Answer

Slugtecy drug makes the cell more excitable because the resting membrane potential is increasing from -70 to -65 mV. And the channels are ready to open causing depolarisation.

Moreover, after the drug was applied, there was found an increase in Ca2+ ions inside the cell than before. It is because excited cell membranes contain voltage gated calcium ions channels. During depolarization, the calcium ions open up causing the calcium ion influx into the cell.

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