Now, what exactly is an action potential and what is the mechanism by which our neuron generates that action potential? So in this lecture, we're going to discuss how we initiate the action potential. In the next lecture, we're going to focus on the propagation of that axe potential, the movement of the axe potential along the axon of our neuron. So let's begin by discussing a special type of protein found in the membrane of our neuron. And this protein is known as the voltagegated ion channel. Now, there are two types of voltagegated ion channels, and they differ in the type of ion that they allow to pass through.