Block 8 (Neuro) - L1, L5, L8 Flashcards
What is the specialized zone between neurons at which communication takes place?
Synapse
What are the two types of synapses?
- Electrical
2. Chemical
What is an electrical synapse?
A low resistance, high conductance channel utilizing direct connections between cells called gap junctions
What is a chemical synapse?
Chemical NT are released from synaptic vesicles in the presynaptic cell and diffuse across the synaptic cleft and bind to specialized receptors in the postsynaptic cell
Compare the distance between pre- and post-synaptic cell membranes of electric and chemical synapses.
Electrical: shorter (3.5 nm)
Chemical: longer (20-40 nm)
Which type of synapse maintains cytoplasmic continuity between pre- and post-synaptic cells?
Electrical
Compare the ultrastructural components of electric and chemical synapses.
Electrical: gap junctions
Chemical: presynaptic vesicles and active zones; postsynaptic receptors
Compare the agent of transmission of electric and chemical synapses.
Electrical: ion current
Chemical: chemical transmitter
Compare the synaptic delay of electric and chemical synapses.
Electrical: virtually absent
Chemical: significant
Compare the direction of transmission of electric and chemical synapses.
Electrical: usually bidirectional
Chemical: unidirectional
Where do synapses occur within cells?
Active zones - specialized regions that function as docking sites for synaptic vesicles
Describe the mechanism of NT release from the presynaptic terminal.
- NT is synthesized and stored in vesicles
- An AP invades the presynaptic terminal
- Depolarization of presynaptic terminal causes opening of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels
- Influx of Ca2+ through channels
- Ca2+ causes vesicles to fuse with the presynaptic membrane
- NT is released into synaptic cleft via exocytosis
- NT binds to receptor molecules in the postsynaptic membrane
- Opening or closing of postsynaptic channels
- Postsynaptic current causes excitatory or inhibitory postsynaptic potential that changes the excitability of the postsynaptic cell
- Removal of NT by glial uptake or degradation
- Retrieval of vesicular membrane from plasma membrane
What two factors determine the grade of chemical synapses?
- Amount of NT released
2. Number of receptors available
What determines the action of a NT?
The properties of the receptor (NOT the NT)
What are the two common features of all chemical receptors?
- Membrane-spanning proteins
2. Carry out an effector function in the postsynaptic cell by directly or indirectly gating some type of response
Describe the structure and function of a directly gated channel.
This channel is typically a single macromolecule made up of several protein subunits that form both the receptor and the ion channel.
What is an ionophoric receptor?
Single macromolecule that forms both the receptor and the ion channel
Directly gated responses are ___ (speed) but ___ (time). What types of responses do they tend to mediate?
Fast-acting; short-lived; behavioral types of responses
Describe the structure and function of an indirectly gated channel.
The receptor complex is separate from the effector complex (ion channel). Communication between the receptor and the channel is accomplished by G proteins and second messengers.
Which component of an indirectly gated receptor complex is NOT loosely bound to the postsynaptic membrane?
Second messengers (this allows them to affect distant sites within the cell)
Indirectly gated responses are ___ (speed) but ___ (time). What types of responses do they tend to mediate?
Slow-acting; long-lasting or permanent; responses related to learning and memory
___ of synaptic input occurs at the axon hillock. In the CNS, no single synaptic event is usually sufficient to produce an AP. Therefore, you need to ___ many potentials.
Integration; summate
What factors affect the production of synaptic potentials?
- Size of the cell
- Location of the synapse (axon, dendrite, soma)
- Shape
- Proximity
- Strength (time and length constants)
- Sign (EPSP vs. IPSP) of the input
At the axon hillock, the membrane potential is greatly reduced. Why and what effect does this have on threshold?
Due to higher density of voltage-gated sodium channels; increases the likelihood of surpassing threshold
At all sites within the cell beside the axon hillock, neuronal integration depends on what two passive properties of the membrane?
- Time constant
2. Length constant
A long time constant means a better chance for integration via ___ summation.
Temporal (multiple inputs from a single source)
A long length constant means a better chance for integration via ___ summation.
Spacial (simultaneous single inputs from multiple sources)
What are the three types of synapses?
- Axosomatic
- Axodendritic
- Axoaxonic
Axosomatic synapses are typically ___ and occur via ___ channels.
Inhibitory; chloride
Axodendritic synapses are typically ___.
Excitatory
Axoaxonic synapses are typically ___ and control the amount of ___ released.
Modulatory; NT
Which synapses affect the production of an AP and which do not?
Axosomatic and axodendritic are mediating, occur before the axon hillock, and can aid in the production of an AP. Axoaxonic synapses are modulatory and have no influence on the production of an AP. They can modulate its effectiveness at the presynaptic terminal.
The propagation of the AP to the presynaptic terminal requires what types of channels? At the terminal, the presence of these channels is not essential to NT release. What ion is essential?
Na; K
Ca
The opening of the voltage-gated Ca channels has a slower activation kinetics than that of Na. What is the implication of this?
There is some synaptic delay between the arrival of the AP and the opening of the Ca channels (this opening occurs near the peak of the AP, a 0.2ms delay)
___ of the AP is critical to the calcium influx.
Duration
Changes in the levels of calcium do NOT affect the amount of NT in a vesicle. What does it affect?
The probability of release of that vesicle from the presynaptic terminal
What are omega figures?
Deformations in the presynaptic membrane seen during active transmission - they are the vesicles releasing NT via exocytosis
What are the 7 basic steps for synaptic release and retrieval and what is required for almost every phase?
- Translocation
- Attachment to active zone
- Contact to the docking protein at the presynaptic membrane via calcium-dependent proteins
- Fusion to the membrane protein
- Opening of the vesicle (exocytosis) and extrusion of contents into synaptic cleft
- Collapse of the vesicle into the plasm membrane
- Retrieval of the vesicle via calcium-dependent proteins
What two toxins can affect the SNARE proteins associated with NT release and lead to paralysis?
Botulinum and tetanus
What mediates endocytosis of vesicles?
Clathrin
What are 3 diseases leading to a defect in ACh resynthesis or packaging?
- Familial infantile myasthenia
- Congenital paucity of presynaptic vesicles and reduced quantal release
- Black widow spider venom
What are 3 diseases leading to a defect in ACh release?
- Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome
- Botulism
- Aminoglycoside antibiotics
- Magnesium intoxication
- Snake venom
What 4 criteria define a NT?
- Synthesized in a neuron
- Present in the presynaptic terminal and released in amounts sufficient to exert its intended action on the postsynaptic cell
- If applied exogenously in reasonable concentrations, it mimics exactly the action of the endogenously released substance.
- A specific mechanism exists for its removal from the synaptic cleft
What are the major categories of small molecule NTs?
- ACh
- Biogenic amines
- Amino acids
How is ACh built?
Acetyl CoA + choline
NB: choline is derived only from your diet
Where is ACh used?
- All NMJs
- All preganglionic synapses
- Parasympathetic postganglionic synapses
- Nucleus basalis (CNS)
What are the 3 biogenic amines?
- Catecholamines
- Indolamine
- Imidazole
How are catecholamines derived?
Tyrosine + O2 -> L-DOPA -> dopamine + CO2 -> NE -> EPI
Dopamine is the essential NT switch for the ___.
Basal ganglia
Where is NE used?
- All sympathetic postganglionic synapses
- Hypothalamus
- Limbic system
NE typically acts via ___ receptors.
Alpha-adrenergic
Where is EPI used?
- Peripherally
2. Adrenal medulla
EPI typically acts via ___ receptors.
Beta-adrenergic
How is indolamine derived?
Tryptophan -> 5-HTP -> 5-HT (serotonin)
Serotonin is an essential NT in the ___ and ___.
Brainstem and limbic system
How is imidazole derived?
Histidine -> histamine
Where does histamine act?
Used as a local hormone - it acts on the cell which released it to limit the peripheral effects; found in the hypothalamus
What are some important amino acid NTs?
Glutamate, aspartate, glycine, GABA
Amino acid transmitters are derived from universal cellular compartments and must be protected from degradation for other cellular processes - how is this done?
Compartmentalized and isolated from the rest of the cell by placing them in a synaptic vesicle - once in a vesicle, they are not able to be returned to the cell
What are secretory proteins processed by the ER and Golgi apparatus, packaged, and sent to the terminal via fast axonal transport mechanisms?
Neuroactive peptides (NAPs)
Where does processing of NAP’s take place?
In the vesicle