Autonomic Intro Flashcards
- What are the classifications of the nervous system?
Nervous system → somatic nervous system, autonomic nervous system
Autonomic nervous system → parasympathetic (craniosacral) and sympathetic (thoracolumnar) nervous system
*Parasympathetic is dominant over sympathetic!
- What is the exception to the two-neuron arrangement of the ANS?
Innervation of the adrenal medulla which secrets catecholamines (NE, E) in replace of a 2nd neuron
- When is the sympathetic system stimulated?
Trauma, fear, hypoglycemia, cold, exercise
- What are general effects of the sympathetic nervous system?
- increase HR and blood pressure
- mobilization of energy stores
- increase in blood flow to skeletal muscles in the heart
- dilation of pupils
- dilation of bronchioles
- What is the main control of the heart and blood pressure?
Heart → parasympathetic
Blood pressure → sympathetic
- Which fibers synthesize and release Ach?
- all preganglionic efferent autonomic fibers
- all parasympathetic postganglionic fibers
- all somatic motor fibers to skeletal muscle
- Which fibers synthesize and release norepinephrine?
Postganglionic sympathetic fibers
- What are the exceptions to postganglionic sympathetic fibers that release norepinephrine?
- sympathetics that supply the sweat glands → release Ach
- Adrenal medulla releases NE and E
- Dopamine is released by some sympathetic fibers (renal vascular smooth muscle??)
- Discuss the Acetylcholine is produced and broken down.
- Choline is transported from extracellular fluid into neurons via sodium-dependent carrier (CHT1) [**rate limiting step of Ach production]
- Acetyl-CoA is synthesized in mitochondria
- acetyl-CoA + choline → Acetylcholine via choline acetyltransferase [in cytoplasm]
- Ach is transported from cytoplasm into vesicle via vesicular ACh transporter (VAChT) which is an antiporter that coupled ACh influx with H+ efflux
- Release of these vesicles into postsynaptic cleft relies on extracellular calcium to be sufficient enough to trigger an AP
- Release Ach binds to and activates Ach receptors on post-synaptic cell
- Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) splits acetylcholine into choline and acetate terminating action of transmitter
- Butyrylcholinesterase is a cholinesterase with lower specificity compared to AChE that is found in blood plasma, liver and other tissues
- Discuss the production and release of NE and E.
- tyrosine amino acid is transported across BBB via system L which is Na+ independent
- Once tyrosine enters neuron [*rate limiting step] it is converted to L-DOPA via tyrosine hydroxylase
- DOPA is then converted to dopamine by aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (DOPA decarboxylase)
- Vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT) translocates dopamine into synaptic vesicle in exchange for H+
- In the vesicle, dopamine is converted to norepinephrine via dopamine-B-hydroxylase
- *in the adrenal medulla, NE moves to the cytosol where phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) converts norepinephrine to epinephrine
- Release of vesicles are calcium dependent
- Once released NE and E are metabolized by catechol-O-methyltransferase and MAO
- Termination also occurs from simple diffusion away from receptor site and back to nerve terminal
- Termination can also occur from reuptake of NE via NET (Na+ dependent norepinephrine transporter) aka uptake 1
- **note that indirectly-acting sympathomimetics (tyramine and amphetamines) can also be taken up into noradrenergic nerve endings via uptake 1 displacing NE from storage vesicles
- What is COMT?
Catechol-O-methyltransferase and monoamino oxidase → soluble or RER-membrane bound – it catalyzes transfer of methyl group to –OH of catechol
- What is MAO?
Enzyme located in outer membrane of mitochondria in most neurons. MOA oxidatively deaminates monoamines to aldehydes then to glycols. There exists MAO-A and MAO-B. MAO-A deaminates NE, E, and serotonin. MAO-B deaminates dopamine.
- What are the different cholinergic receptors?
- muscarinic → G protein-linked
2. nicotinic → ion channel-linked [2 Ach molecules bind opening channel and allowing Na+ influx]
- What are the different types of nicotinic receptors?
- muscle type (Nm) – skeletal neuromuscular junction (NMJ)
2. neuronal type (Nn) – found in autonomic ganglia and brain
- Where are muscarinic receptors located?
- plasma membrane of cells in the CNS
- organs innervated by parasympathetic nerves
- tissues innervated by cholinergic postganglionic sympathetic nerves