2.1 Glial cells

Question 1

what is the quadpartitate synapse?

Answer 1

pre-synaptic terminal
post-synaptic terminal
microglia
astrocyte

Question 2

What are 4 passive functions of the macroglia?

Answer 2

1. uptake and recycling of neurotransmitters
2. siphons K+
3. energy metabolism
4. blood-brain barrier maintenance

Question 3

What is 1 active function of microglia?

Answer 3

1. controls neural function

Question 4

What are 2 examples of neurotransmitters which are expressed by glial cells?

Answer 4

1. GABA
2. glutamate

Question 5

What happens when transporters are inhibited?

Answer 5

cells are more depolarised

Question 6

What happens during K+ siphoning?

Answer 6

potassium is in high conc. during depolarisation. potassium goes from areas of high conc. into vasculature

Question 7

What 4 things can calcium waves be initiated by?

Answer 7

1. neurotransmitters
2. trauma
3. spontaneous
4. inflam mediators

Question 8

What happens in disease?

Answer 8

1. loss of uptake of neurotransmitters
2. loss of K+ intake

Question 9

What does a loss of uptake of neurotransmitters cause?

Answer 9

causes excessive stimulation of neurons and ultimately death

Question 10

What does a loss of K+ uptake cause?

Answer 10

change in water balance

Question 11

What is gliosis?

Answer 11

hypertrophy and hyperplasia of glial cells

Question 12

What are 3 functional changes from gliosis?

Answer 12

1. NT uptake affected
2. energy metabolism affected
3. water balance affected

Question 13

How does gliosis cause altered water balance?

Answer 13

decreased K+ channel expression

Question 14

what are the immune cells in the nervous system?

Answer 14

microglia

Question 15

What occurs in the thalamus?

Answer 15

1. relay station
2. receives input from both eyes
3. pruning occurs in thalamus

Question 16

How are synaptic connections refined?

Answer 16

microglia are phagocytic so they prune synapses at specific stages of development