bmsc 207 neuro Flashcards
membrane potential
the electrical disequilibrium that exists between the ECF and ICF (more negative) is called the membrane potential
in the beginning the cell has no membrane potential
equilibrium potential
for any conc gradient of a single ion , the membrane potential that exactly opposes the conc gradient
E ion for example E k or E na
the amount coming out will be the same as the amount being drawn in making it a equilibrium potential no more net movement when reached -90mV for potassium
equilbrium will be reached
sodium is outside the cell and is positively charged and a leak channel would open, causing the sodium to come into the cell and repel some sodium, eventually where the amount coming in and repel is the same which +60mV
Nernst equation
used to find the equilibrium potential for an ion
need to know conc gradient of the ion and the charge of the ion
resting membrane potential
membrane potential of a cell when it is not active
-70mV
the sodium potassium ATPase maintains it but mainly K+
why K+ creates the resting membrane potential
due to the memrbane being more permeable to K+, K+ flows out faster than Na flows in
40 times more permeable to K
EK=-90mV
ENa= +60mV
disturbance of resting membrane potential (two factors)
two factors
1) the conc gradients of different ions across the membrane (Na, K, Cl and Ca) changes in the conc gradient results in alteration of membrane potential
2) the permeability of the membrane to those ions, open gated channels, sodium gated channel opens makes higher sodium making membrane channel depolarize, if you open additional potassium gated channels have even more potassium leaving making the membrane potential hyper-polarize more negative, open Cl gated channel cell would hyperpolarize
what maintains the resting membrane potential?
Na-K ATPase
sets up the conc gradients that determine membrane potential
3 Na out and 2 K in
maintains the conc gradients for Na and K
how the resting membrane potential is set up (sodium/potassium)
-sodium and potassium channels will be inserted
-the amount of potassium
leaving is higher than the amount of sodium coming in because there are more k leak channels
making the cell negative
-as the cell become negative potassium goes down its conc gradient, some of it gets drawn back in but there is more leaving, making the cell more negative
for sodium we have more sodium being drawn in by the negative charge
conc gradient and the electrical charge draws the Na in
as cell more - the movement of K out slows down and the amount of sodium coming in fast for how little of leak channels because of electrical charge and the conc gradient
reaches equlibrium the net movement of potassium outward= the Na coming in at -70
nervous system
coordinates voluntary and involuntary actions and transmits signals to and from different parts of its body
rapid
2 main branches
CNS brain and spinal cord acts as the main integrating part of the body
peripheral nervous system any nervous tissue outside the brain and spinal cord
afferent vs efferent
efferent takes information from the CNS to target cells via efferent neurons (somatic motor and autonomic subdivison sympathetic/parasympathetic motor)
afferent bring info toward the CNS
subdivisons: somatic, visceral, special sensory
which of the following statements about the resting membrane potential is true?
it results in part from the permeability of the cell membrane to K+
neurons/glia
neurons: the basic signalling units of the nervous system
glia: support cells
soma, dendrites, axons, presynaptic terminals
soma: a cell body, considered the control center, with processes that extend outward, dendrites and axons
dendrites and axons number/length vary from neuron to neuron
dendrites: receive incoming signals from neighbouring cells
axons: carry outgoing signals from the inegrating center to target cells
presynaptic termianls: contain transmitting elements
afferent/efferent (sensory/motor)
afferent: sensory
- carry info about temperature, pressure, light and other stimuli to the CNS
Efferent: motor and autonomic
motor: control skeletal muscles
autonomic: influences many internal organs
sympathetic and parasympathetic
usually have axon terminals or varicosities
interneurons
complex branching neurons that facilitate communication between neurons
axonal transport
axon convey chemical and electrical signals that require a variety of different types of proteins
the axon contains many types of filaments and fibers but lacks ribosomes and ER necessary for protein production,
*proteins must be produced in the cell body (soma) then transported down the axon
different types of neurons
and structural categories
sensory neurons: senses like temperature, vision, hearing
pseudounipolar: only one axon of the soma but then splits into 2 separate axons
Bipolar: one single axon on each end has 2 poles, sensory neurons aswell
vision and smell, have transduction channels
interneurons of CNS: found only in the CNS so within the brain/spinal cord,
anaxonic: dont have an axons have bunch of dendrites
multipolar: has multiple axons and dendrites off the soma
typical multipolar efferent somatic motor neurons look like this, be very long,
axonal transport (speeds and direction)
fast: smaller proteins membrane bound proteins and organelles (vesicles or mitchondria)
anterograde: axonal transport from soma to the axon terminal, up to 400 mm/day
retrograde: axonal transport from axon back to the soma , 200 mm/day
slow: larger proteins, cytoplasmic proteins (enzymes) and cytoskeleton proteins
mainly anterograde, up to 8 mm/day, some evidence for retro
kinesins and dyneins: motor proteins
kinesins: anterograde transport
dyneins: retrograde transport axon t towards the soma
synapses (pre, cleft, post) types
point of communication between a neuron and another cell
2 types: chemical (majority) uses chemical to communicate with the other cell
electrical
presynaptic cell: release chemical signal that goes to receptors on the post synaptic cell that causes a cellular response , synaptic cleft between
How do billions of neurons in the brain find correct targets during development?
depends on the chemical signals
growth cones that sense and move towards particular chemical signals
myelin forming glia
myelin is a wraping around a axon from another cell
oligodendrocytes- CNS many segments of myelin in one cell
Schwann cells-PNS around the whole cell, each segment is 1 schwann cell
provide structural stability, insulation around the axon to speed up electrical signals, supply chemicals that are needed
demyelination
multiple sclerosis: disorder resulting from demyelination in brain and spinal cord
MS symptoms: sensory, motor and cognitive issues
immune cells attack myelin
scar tissue and myelin and wont be able to reform
satellite glial cells
surround the soma
exist within ganglia (bundles of cell bodies) in the PNS
form a supportive capsule around the cells bodies of neurons (sensory and autonomic)
supply nutrients
structural support
astrocytes (where are they found and function)
shaped like a star
highly branched glial cells in the CNS
half the cells in the brain
functions: take up and release chemicals at synapses
provide neurons with substrates for ATP production
helps maintain homeostasis in the ECF
surround vessels (part of the blood brain barrier and influence vascular dynamics)
microglia
specialized immune cells that reside in the CNS
serve to protect and preserve neuronal cells from pathogens and facilitate recovery from metabolic insults
if the signals that activate microglia pass a threshold or the microglia remain activated past a certain time period, there can be deritmental properties, alzheimers, ALS