The sodium-potassium pump goes through cycles of shape changes to help maintain a negative membrane potential. The ATP allows the shape of the pump to change, emptying its contents either into or out of the cell. The sodium-potassium pump can be quite a perplexing topic especially to nursing students due to its nature, function, and how the entire process contributes to healthier well-being. The Phosphate group form a molecule of ATP binds to the pump. Sodium-Potassium Pump Explained. 3 Na+ ions from the ICF bind to the pump (with ATP or adenosine triphosphate attached). This procedure demands energy to transfer the sodium and also potassium ions into and away from the cellular materials. At that point, two potassium ions from outside the cell bind to the protein pump. The sodium-potassium pump, also called Na, K-ATPase, is responsible for active transportation. The process of moving sodium and potassium ions across the cell membrance is an active transport process involving the hydrolysis of ATP to provide the necessary energy. At this very moment, there is a diversified network of nerve impulses running throughout the human anatomy. In doing so, it pumps the three sodium ions out of the cell. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Typically, I’d show my students a video or two, talk about the sodium potassium pump a bit, and call it a day. The sodium-potassium pump is found in the plasma membrane of almost every human cell and is common to all cellular life. The sodium potassium pump in particular needs to be presented in such a way that shows how it changes its shape and that it pumps 3 Na+ out and 2 K+ inside. It involves an enzyme referred to as Na + /K +-ATPase.This process is responsible for maintaining the large excessof Na + outside the cell and the large excess of K + ions on the inside. The sodium potassium pump (NaK pump) is vital to numerous bodily processes, such as nerve cell signaling, heart contractions, and kidney functions. The sodium-potassium pump moves sodium ions out of and potassium ions into the cell. In more detail: Sodium ions bind to the pump and a phosphate group from ATP attaches to the pump, causing it to change its shape. For each ATP that is broken down, 3 sodium ions move out and 2 potassium ions move in. This pump is powered by ATP. In each cycle, three sodium ions exit the cell, while two potassium ions enter the cell. The pump is powered by a molecule of ATP. Start studying Sodium Potassium Pump Steps. This Biology video tutorial explains how the sodium potassium pump works inside the cell membrane. The process basically consists of the following steps. Sodium Potassium Pump Summary Steps involved in the Sodium-Potassium Pump the sodium How a sodium potassium pump can maintain a voltage gradient across a cell or neuron's membrane. 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