In physiology, a slow-wave potential is a membrane potential that cycles between depolarizations and repolarizations. Slow wave potentials are generated by myocytes. Due to temporal summation, a slow-wave potential will periodically reach threshold and generate an action potential. This in turn triggers contraction of a myocyte. Since each cycle of a slow-wave potential does not always reach threshold, an action potential (AP) does not always fire as a result. Slow waves are intrinsic: they do not rely on exogenous stimulus, but they can be altered by an exogenous stimulus.
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