permeability of K+ - Biology Forum

last updated by

nugget 18 years, 6 months ago

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- May 11, 2006 at 4:43 pm #4765
  nugget
  Participant
  Hello
  I cannot seem to understand what the permeability of an ion means.If Potassium is more permeable comparitively to Sodium in reference to Resting membrane potentials what does that mean?it leaks out of the cell more than sodium?? is it smaller than sodium?
  i hope someone can explain this to me 🙂
  thank you very much
- May 12, 2006 at 4:50 pm #48287
  MrMistery
  Participant
  it is smaller than sodium but that has nothing to do with it. Some resting ion channels are open during resting membrane potential(more than na channels) so it leaks out more than sodium leakes in. Membrane potential is mainained by the Na/K pump…
- May 12, 2006 at 5:27 pm #48292
  nugget
  Participant
  thank you…
  is the opposing electric and chemical gradients got to do with this? why is more Na pmped out than K pumped in?
  cheers
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