The resting membrane potential of a cardiac cell is approximately how many millivolts?

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Multiple Choice

The resting membrane potential of a cardiac cell is approximately how many millivolts?

Explanation:
The resting membrane potential in cardiac myocytes is set mainly by potassium conductance, so the membrane sits close to the potassium equilibrium potential, which is about -90 mV. The Na+/K+ pump maintains the ion gradients that make this possible, but at rest the membrane is most permeable to K+, driving the potential toward EK. If the cell were at around -70 mV, -60 mV, or -50 mV, that would imply a less negative interior and closer to threshold, which isn’t characteristic of resting cardiac tissue. Hence the resting potential is approximately -90 mV.

The resting membrane potential in cardiac myocytes is set mainly by potassium conductance, so the membrane sits close to the potassium equilibrium potential, which is about -90 mV. The Na+/K+ pump maintains the ion gradients that make this possible, but at rest the membrane is most permeable to K+, driving the potential toward EK. If the cell were at around -70 mV, -60 mV, or -50 mV, that would imply a less negative interior and closer to threshold, which isn’t characteristic of resting cardiac tissue. Hence the resting potential is approximately -90 mV.

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