Cells of the Nervous System (Thursday) Flashcards
What is the purpose of the Choroid Plexus?
it regulates what comes in the blood-CSF barrier and modifies/produces cerebral spinal fluid (which cushions the brain)
What is the purpose of the Microglia?
it “defends” the brain by getting rid of damaged neurons/particles and “sculpts” the brain by removing synapses and neurites
What is the phagocytosis process?
it’s when microglia surround and ingest damaged neurons or particles
How is phagocytosis activated?
it senses ATP from damaged neurons
What does Sufficient vs Necessary mean?
the former means that it’s can cause a reaction on it’s own while the latter means that it’s needed to cause a reaction
What is the purpose of Oligodendrocytes?
they wrap around axons as the myelin sheath and enhance/support signals
Which cell can only wrap around one and which around multiple?
former: Schwann Cells, later: Oligodendrocytes
Astrocytes formulate which barriers?
blood-CSF and blood-brain
What is the Blood-Brain Barrier’s purpose?
it blocks out bacteria/antibiotics while letting in caffeine, fat-soluble, nicotine, and alcohol
What is the purpose of the Blood-CSF Barrier?
it creates/regulates cerebral spinal fluid which cushions the brain
What does the Tripartite Synapse consist of?
presynaptic neuron, postsynaptic neuron, and astrocytes
What can astrocytes do for the pre/postsynaptic neuron?
they can align them and segregate them from other synapses
What do astrocytes do in the presence of Glutamate?
increase calcium response (microdomain) and release chemical signals (gliotransmitters)
What can astrocytes also mediate?
develop new synapses or increase probability of presynaptic neurotransmitter release/postsynaptic glutamate receptors
How does Glial Signaling work?
glutamate, more calcium, spreads across astrocytes, which are then linked to other astrocytes by gap junctions
