BIOMED 10/10b Organization of PNS Flashcards
Define neuron
cell that helps with transmission and integration of information
Structure of a neuron
- Cell Body
- Axon
- Dendrites (receive information from multiple sources and transmits info to other neurons)
4 main functional regions of a neuron
- input
- integrative
- conductive
- output
what is contained within the cell body of the neuron?
- cell body is the main integrative unit of neuron and supports basic metabolism of the neuron
- Nucleus stores the DNA ***
- ER has rough and smooth, responsible for synthesis of lipids and proteins and synaptic vesicles
- lysosomes digest compounds and change glycogen to glucose; form part of the axoplasmic transport system
- mitochondria produce ATP
- golgi apparatus stores lipids and proteins
- microtubules are free way of neurons that carry the axoplasmic axonal transport system
Cell body of peripheral sensory neuron lies
dorsal root ganglia (slightly outside the spinal cord) - afferent
cell body of the peripheral motor neuron lies
within the spinal cord - efferent
axon main functions
- transmission of information: propagation of action potential
- transportation of metabolically important materials to and from the soma to the axonal end
A. anterograde axonal transport takes vesicles from soma to presynaptic terminal
B. retrograde transport system takes metabolites from presynaptic terminal back to the neuron
example of a disorder that relies on the axonal transport system
Tetanus: injury in a non-hygienic environment where there are micro-bacteria that sit on RETROGRADE axonal system that goes to the neuron and causes cytoxic cascades that lead to tetanic contractions
Myelination of axons
- myelinated: schwann cell concentric circles (300 layers)
- unmyelinated: surrounded by a single schwann cell that doesn’t wrap around axon multiple times and provides trophic support
schwann cells
wrap around axon in concentric circles to form a myelin sheath
- protection
- insulation
multiple unmyelinated axons are covered by one single schwann cell (T/F)
TRUE
how do neurons transmit information?
- within neuron (dendrites to axon - Action Potential)
- between neurons (synapse)
how do neurons transmit information on a cellular level?
- resting membrane potential
- post synaptic potential
- action potential
how do neurons transmit information with synaptic mechanisms?
- convergence
2. divergence
how do neurons transmit information with behavioral mechanisms?
- feedback
2. feedforward
resting membrane potential
- difference in the charge/charges across a particular membrane
- (-)70mV on the inside, making it more negative
example of when a patient has issues with resting membrane potential?
- epilepsy is unwanted activity of the neurons
- the membrane potential is not stable, so there is a lot of unwanted activity in the brain
neuronal cell membrane
- phospholipid bilayer
- lipids arranged so that it is partially/semi permeable to some ions
- physical barrier that keeps the ions separate
what are charges?
ions carry a charge and in order to keep them separate, there needs to be a barrier – aka the neuronal cell membrane
two main forces trying to move the ions in and out of the cell body
- Electrostatic Forces - like charges repel each other, so if a negatively charged ion is inside, it is going to try to move outside
- Diffusion Forces: relies on the concentration of ions, so if there is more sodium outside and less inside, it travels from outside to in