Question

In autorythmic SA nodal cells, the pacemaker potential is caused by the opening of "fast" voltage-gated K+ channels.

True or False

Answer 1

The right answer is false. (The pacemaker potential is caused by the opening of pacemaker Na+ channels, the closing of K+ channels, and (late in the process) the opening of Ca2+ channels. Besides, there are no fast voltage-gated Na+ and K+ channels in the pacemaker cells.