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What prevents action potentials from turning around and going back up the axon?

What prevents action potentials from turning around and going back up the axon?

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Answer #1

During the action potentials when the sodium channels are opened they become inactivated during the refractory period which prevents them from turning around and going back up the axon. The refractory period is the one that prevents the action potential from travelling backwards. After the sodium channels gets inactivated they cannot open again until hyperpolarization.

Action potential is followed by an absolute refractory period and relative refractory period. It is caused by changes in the state of sodium and potassium channel molecules.


Absolute refractory period – Here it is impossible to generate another action potential. After closing of an action potential, sodium channels get in to an inactivated state where they cannot be opened again.


Relative refractory period - Here a stronger stimulus is required to generate another action potential as some of the voltage-gated sodium ion channels will be recovered and the voltage-gated potassium ion channels are opened. The relative refractory period is the period of hyperpolarization after an action potential.

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