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Temperature and Excitable Membranes ☆

Reference Module in Life Sciences
2017
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Book Chapter Description

The cell membranes of neurons and muscle cells are electrically excitable. These cells can produce electrical impulses called action potentials that propagate along the cell membrane without change in amplitude. Nonexcitable cells produce only local voltage changes that dampen within short distance from their origin. Electrical excitability is dependent on expression of voltage-gated ion channels that pass ion currents across the cell membrane. Acute decreases in temperature impede conduction velocity and increase the duration of action potentials with consequent slowing of neuromotor and cardiac functions. Thermal acclimation counteracts acute temperature effects via increases in number of channels and by differential expression of temperature-specific isoforms of ion channels. Less is known about temperature adaption of excitability at an evolutionary timescale, but it seems to be stronger in neurons than skeletal muscle cells.

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