RT Book, Section A1 Kandel, Eric R. A1 Koester, John D. A1 Mack, Sarah H. A1 Siegelbaum, Steven A. SR Print(0) ID 1180640095 T1 Ion Channels T2 Principles of Neural Science, 6e YR 2021 FD 2021 PB McGraw Hill PP New York, NY SN 9781259642234 LK neurology.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1180640095 RD 2024/10/10 AB SIGNALING IN THE BRAIN DEPENDS on the ability of nerve cells to respond to very small stimuli with rapid and large changes in the electrical potential difference across the cell membrane. In sensory cells, the membrane potential changes in response to minute physical stimuli: Receptors in the eye respond to a single photon of light; olfactory neurons detect a single molecule of odorant; and hair cells in the inner ear respond to tiny movements of atomic dimensions. These sensory responses ultimately lead to the firing of an action potential during which the membrane potential changes at up to 500 volts per second.