Answer:
2. Hair cells depolarize through an influx of K+, while neurons depolarize through an influx of Na+
Explanation:
The complete question is as follows :
What is an important difference between neurons and hair cells?
1. Neurons detect pressure waves, and hair cells communicate the signal to the central nervous system (CNS).
2. Hair cells depolarize through an influx of K+, while neurons depolarize through an influx of Na+.
3. Neurons release neurotransmitters, but hair cells signal using hormones.
4. Hair cells are only found in the CNS, and neurons are only found in the peripheral nervous system (PNS).
- Neurons are the cells that are electrically excitable and play a role in transmitting the nerve impulses in the body.
- Hair cells are found in the ears of the vertebrate and these are the sensory receptors of the auditory and the vestibular system.
- For the neurons, it is the influx of the sodium ions that causes the membrane potential to become more positive and cause depolarization whereas in the case of the hair cells it is the influx of potassium ions that does so.
- This reason why the K+ ions move-in is because the surrounding fluid that is the endolymph is richer in K+ ions and does the movement of the endolymph causes the K+ channels to open and K+ influx occurs in the hair cells.
