Which stage follows polarized in the action potential process?

In the action potential process, the stage that follows polarization is depolarization. During depolarization, the neuron's membrane potential becomes less negative (or more positively charged) compared to its resting state. This occurs when sodium channels open, allowing Na+ ions to flow into the neuron, leading to a rapid rise in membrane potential.

This is a critical part of the action potential, as it provides the necessary change in membrane voltage to trigger the subsequent phases of the action potential process. Without this depolarization, the nerve signal would not be propagated.

Following depolarization, the neuron enters the repolarization phase, where potassium channels open, allowing K+ ions to exit the neuron, returning the membrane potential toward its resting state. Hyperpolarization, which follows repolarization, occurs when the membrane potential becomes even more negative than the resting potential for a brief period. Thus, in the sequence of action potential stages, depolarization is the correct stage that directly follows the initial polarization phase.