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Which of the following changes would hyperpolarize a cell, that is, make the resting membrane potential more negative?  none of the choices are correct   decrease the temperature   increase extracellular levels of potassium   decrease the permeability of cells to potassium Correct Answer  decrease extracellular levels of potassium

Question

Which of the following changes would hyperpolarize a cell, that is, make the resting membrane potential more negative?  none of the choices are correct   decrease the temperature   increase extracellular levels of potassium   decrease the permeability of cells to potassium Correct Answer  decrease extracellular levels of potassium

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Solution

The correct answer is "decrease extracellular levels of potassium". Here's why:

The resting membrane potential of a cell is determined by the concentration gradients of various ions across the cell membrane, and the permeability of the membrane to those ions. The most important ions in this process are sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), chloride (Cl-) and calcium (Ca2+).

Under normal conditions, the cell membrane is more permeable to potassium ions than to other ions, and there is a higher concentration of potassium ions inside the cell than outside. This means that potassium ions tend to move out of the cell, down their concentration gradient, making the inside of the cell more negative.

If the extracellular levels of potassium were to decrease, the concentration gradient of potassium ions across the cell membrane would become steeper. This would cause more potassium ions to move out of the cell, making the inside of the cell even more negative, or hyperpolarized.

Therefore, decreasing extracellular levels of potassium would hyperpolarize a cell, making the resting membrane potential more negative.

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