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How a nerve impulse is transmitted?
The transmission of a nerve impulse along a neuron from one end to the other occurs as a result of electrical changes across the membrane of the neuron. The membrane of an unstimulated neuron is polarized—that is, there is a difference in electrical charge between the outside and inside of the membrane. The inside is negative with respect to the outside. Neurons send messages electrochemically; this means that chemicals (ions) cause an electrical impulse. Neurons and muscle cells are electrically excitable cells, which means that they can transmit electrical nerve impulses. These impulses are due to events in the cell membrane, so to understand the nerve impulse we need to revise some properties of cell membranes.


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