Question on Action Potentials

Question

***What would occur if the sodium and potassium voltage gated channels were inhibited after depolarization?*** ​ I am trying to work through it with this logic: Na+ channels would stay open (make the membrane more positive), K+ channels would not open or close (no net effect) & Na/K ATPase and potassium leak channels would still work..... if this is true what would the net effect be?

Answer 1

Answer 2

Inhibition is referring to stopping the function of the voltage gated channels. This means closing them or keeping them closed. So it would not keep the Na+ channels open. The effect would be that you would have very slow repolarization because there could be no flow of K+ through the channels and the sodium-potassium pump would have to do all of the repolarization.

This is done therapeutically with K channel blockers to treat cardiac arrhythmias.

https://www.cvpharmacology.com/antiarrhy/potassium-blockers

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