Answer to Question #126803 in Human Anatomy and Physiology for Peter Owusu

Question

ATPase is an enzyme that can hydrolyse ATP and release the potential energy stored in the phosphate bond. How would a metabolic inhibitor that blocks ATPase function affect the resting potential of nerve cells?

Answer 1

Just like other enzymes, ATPase is affected by inhibitors such as metabolic inhibitors for instance the oligomycin that may cause problems to the overall functioning of the cell. The inhibition of the ATPase by oligomycin will allow sodium ions to accumulate in the cell as potassium ions fall. This leads to depolarization as the positively charged sodium ions shift from the outside to the inside of the cell. This state of the cell where the inside is positively charged is referred to as action potential.

References

Chiras, D. (2011). Human biology. Jones & Bartlett Learning.