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Secondary active transport help?

As I understand it, secondary active transport relies on the sodium gradient across plasma membrane (more sodium ions in the extracellular fluid) to transport solutes against their concentration gradients. In other words, sodium ions provide energy as they are transported with the solutes down across the plasma membrane.

But what happens when the sodium concentration changes drastically, i.e. in the case of depolarization? Would this affect the transport process?
I assume you're only talking about neuron in particular.
Secondary active transport is not only dependent on the [Na+] but also dependent on other ions like H+, K+, Ca2+. Also depolarisation only occurs at the axon, not at the cell body where the transportation mainly takes place. In addition, depolarisation is reversible due to the activity of Na+/K+ ATPase.
So the cell should be fine!
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aurelle
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Original post by Teen_titans2702
I assume you're only talking about neuron in particular.
Secondary active transport is not only dependent on the [Na+] but also dependent on other ions like H+, K+, Ca2+. Also depolarisation only occurs at the axon, not at the cell body where the transportation mainly takes place. In addition, depolarisation is reversible due to the activity of Na+/K+ ATPase.
So the cell should be fine!



So really, these secondary transport mechanisms are not at all affected by depolarization of plasma membrane?
I think so as the axon's main job is just conducting electrical signal, maybe its not totally true to say not at all, maybe to some extent, but not much, maybe it changes the concentration of Na+ inside cell body a little bit, but it can be ignored!

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