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Action Potential
The nervous
system, however, provides the most striking
example of the interplay of various ion
channels, transporters, and ion pumps in
carrying out physiological functions. Neurons
(nerve cells) and certain muscle cells are
specialized to generate and conduct a particular
type of electric impulse, the action potential.
This alteration of the electric potential across
the cell membrane is caused by the opening and
closing of certain voltage-gated ion channels.
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