Question

Ions are unequally distributed across the plasma membrane of all cells. This ion distribution creates an electrical potential difference across the membrane. What is the name given to this potential difference?

Answer 1

Answer: Resting Membrane Potential

Explanation:

The resting membrane potential refers to the difference in voltage between the inside and outside of the cell membrane when the cell is at physiological rest. It should be noted that the cell membrane is a selective semipermeable barrier, which only allows the transit through it of certain molecules and prevents the transit of others.

This selectivity causes an uneven distribution of charged particles (ions), as the membrane only accepts some types of ions.

Now, in the case of neurons, which are electrically excitable nerve cells; the transport of electrical signals is due to these changes in the permeability and asymmetric distribution of ions (mainly sodium and potassium) when the neuron is not excited (at rest).