12
1
The Basics
A
B
C
D
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
In (
A
), a single cell has depolarized. A wave of depolarization then prop-
agates from cell to cell (
B
) until all are depolarized (
C
). Repolarization
(
D
) then restores each cell’s resting polarity.