what is an action potential in the nervous system?
An action potential is a wave of electrical discharge that travels along the membrane of a cell. Action potentials are an essential feature of animal life, rapidly carrying information within and between tissues. They are also exhibited by some plants. Action potentials can be created by many types of cells, but are used most extensively by the nervous system for communication between neurons and to transmit information from neurons to other body tissues such as muscles and glands.