What term describes a momentary change in the electrical potential of a cell that allows nerve signal transmission?

The term that describes a momentary change in the electrical potential of a cell, which is essential for the transmission of nerve signals, is known as an action potential. An action potential occurs when a neuron receives a stimulus strong enough to change its membrane potential, leading to a rapid depolarization followed by repolarization. During this process, voltage-gated ion channels open, allowing sodium ions to flow into the cell, causing the interior to become more positively charged than the exterior. This transient shift in electrical charge propagates along the neuron, enabling the transmission of nerve impulses.

Resting potential refers to the stable, negative charge of a neuron when it is not being stimulated. Threshold potential is the critical level of depolarization that must be reached for an action potential to occur but does not itself describe the subsequent momentary change. Repolarization is the phase that follows depolarization during the action potential, wherein the cell returns to its resting state. Thus, the action potential is the key concept that encompasses the momentary change necessary for nerve signal transmission.