Cellular Neuroscience Flashcards

1
Q

Definition: Functional unit of the nervous system

A

Neurons

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2
Q

The input part of a neuron?

A

The dendrites

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3
Q

The output part of a neuron?

A

The axon

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4
Q

The part of the neuron that holds the nucleus, DNA, and life support?

A

The cell body

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5
Q

What does the axon exit on the cell body?

A

The axon hillock

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6
Q

Where presynaptic axon terminals and postsynaptic dendrites meet

A

The synapse

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7
Q

What are the finger-like projections dendrites sometimes have?

A

Dendritic spins

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8
Q

the highly plastic structure (during development) that acts as a highway for molecular motors inside neurons?

A

The cytoskeleton

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9
Q

Who invented and used the cell staining method.

A

Camillo Golgi invented it

S. Ramon Y Cajal used the technique

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10
Q

The two theories Cajal and Golgi had on neurons?

A
Reticulum theory (physically connected) - Golgi
Cell Theory (individual cells communicating) - Cajal
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11
Q

The ratio of glia to neurons?

A

3:1

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12
Q

What is special about glial cells

A

they can divide throughout their entire lifetime

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13
Q

Name the three types of glial cells:

A

Astroglia
Oligodendroglia
Microglia

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14
Q

Describe some functions of astroglial cells:

A

Prevents leaking of chemical activity by insulating and isolating neurons from each other

  • Blood-brain barrier
  • A border that protects the brain from parasites from blood
  • Surround blood vessels, and absorb nutrients to give to brain
  • Can act as stem cells
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15
Q

Describe some functions of oligodendroglial cells:

A
  • Produces myelin in the CNS
  • Wraps neurons to speed up conduction
  • Can also supply neurons with fuel (LACTATE) after forming myelin by absorbing nutrients from blood vessels and releasing it to the neurons.
  • Can act as stem cells
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16
Q

Describe some functions of microglial cells:

A
  • Immune cell, because CNS is immunologically privileged due to BBB, fewer immunological defenses than other body areas as normal immune cells are unable to move freely around NS
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17
Q

What type of glial cell is star-shaped?

A

astroglial cells

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18
Q

What is one theory of ALS relating to oligodendroglial cells?

A

The oligodendroglial cells malfunction and cannot provide enough nutrients to motor neurons with long axons. Results in loss of voluntary movement

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19
Q

How many synapses are astrocytes capable of interacting with at once?

A

Around 2 million

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20
Q

Where are the glial cells astrocytes located in the brain?

A

Located near ventricles in the subventricular zone, next to ventricular zone blood vessels

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21
Q

How many myelin wrappings can one oliogodendroglia cell provide?

A

30-50 myelin internodes

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22
Q

What is the difference between oliogodendrocytes and schwaan cells?

A

Schwaan cells can only provide one myelin wrapping per cell, however, oliogodendrocytes can provide 30-50 myeline internodes per cell

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23
Q

What type of matter are oliogodendrocutes usually found in? What state are they in in this matter?

A

White matter as oliogodendrocyte precursors, polydendrocytes

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24
Q

What do polydendrocytes produce?

A

mostly oliogodendrocytes, some astrocytes

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25
Q

What causes chromic inflammation diseases?

A

too much inflammation

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26
Q

the electrical difference between the outside and the inside compartments; the electrical potential generated across the membrane at electrochemical equilibrium

A

The equilibrium potential

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27
Q

he exact balance between the concentration gradient and the opposing electrical gradient

A

the electrochemical equilibrium

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28
Q

_________ discovered the large neurons squids have after opening one up at University College London

A

John Young

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29
Q

The Na+ channels are an example of a _______ feedback circuit that is ________

A

positive feedback circuit that is fast and self-limiting

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30
Q

The K+ channels are an example of a ____ feedback circuit that is ______

A

negative feedback circuit that is slow and gradual

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31
Q

A measurable rate of propagation

A

conduction velocity

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32
Q

2 ways to increase conduction velocity

A

1) Make the diameter of the axon bigger

2) Insulate the axon so the message doesn’t leak out, then leave gaps for the message to jump across,

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33
Q

What is found during the post-mortem of somebody that had MS?

A

The post-mortem exam reveals loss of myelin associated with the infiltration of inflammatory cells. Sometimes entire axons are missing

One of the problems that can arise from demyelinated and inflammation of axonal pathways

34
Q

Generated when there are differences in the concentrations of specific ions

A

electrical potentials

35
Q

Arise from ion changes due to the selectively permeable nerve cell membranes with ion channels, and the distribution of certain ions due to active transporter proteins

A

Electronic signals

36
Q

_____________an exact balance between two opposing forces, ______ and _______, so there is no net ion flow

A

electrochemical equilibrium

exact balance between the concentration gradient and the opposing electrical gradient

37
Q

_______ is where action potentials originate

A

the axon hillock

38
Q

why do action potentials originate from the axon hillock?

A

the axon hillock has the highest concentrations of K+ and Na+ channels

39
Q

The electrical difference between the outside and the inside compartments

A

the equilibrium potential

40
Q

the electrical potential generated across the membrane at electrochemical equilibrium

A

the equilibrium potential

41
Q

Why are the concentrations of K+ and Na+ on either side of the axonal membrane generally not affected during an action potential?

A

the % of Na+ and K+ ions that actually move across the membrane during an action potential is very small, but still creates big changes (axon potential) across teh membrane

42
Q

Where are Na+ voltage-gated channels found on the axon?

A

On the nodes of Raviner

43
Q

What is whole-cell recording? (patch clamp method)

A

the membrane patch within the pipette is disrupted by briefly applying strong suction, so the pipette becomes continuous with the cell cytoplasm.

44
Q

What is Inside-out patch recording configuration? (patch clamp method)

A

A tight seal is formed between the membrane and the glass pipette and small pieces of the membrane can be pulled away from the cell without disrupting the seal the pipette has on the cell.Briefly exposing the tip of the pipette to the air allos the vesicle to open and yield a small patch of membrane with its intracellular surface exposed. This allows the change of medium to which the intracellular surface of the membrane is exposed. (helpful when studying the influences of intracellular molecules on ion channel function.

45
Q

Outside-out recording configuration

A

The pipette is retracted while it is in the whole-cell configuration, and a membrane patch is produced with its extracellular surface exposed. This method is optimal for studying how channel activity is influenced by extracellular chemical signals such as neurotransmitters.

46
Q

Microscopic currents:

A

Microscopic currents: Currents flowing through single channels

47
Q

Macroscopic currents:

A

currents flowing through a large number of channels distributed over a larger region of surface membrane

48
Q

define “subunits” of ion channels

A

Helical membrane-spanning protein subunits that each cross the plasma membrane twice

49
Q

how many subunits for a K+ channel

A

4 subunits

50
Q

how many pore loops form a channel pore in a K+ ion channel?

A

4 pore loops form a pore

51
Q

How does the K+ ion channel selectively take in K+ ions

A

: The narrowest part of the pore (near the outside
the mouth of the channel) is so constructed that
only a non-hydrated K+ ion can fit through the
Bottleneck. Called the selectivity filter (Larger
cations are too large and smaller cations
cannot enter as the pore “walls” are too far
apart to stabilize the small ion)

52
Q

what is the purpose of the water-filled cavity in the K+ ion channel

A

This cavity takes K+ ions from the cytoplasm

53
Q

What is the purpose of the 4 binding sites in the K+ channel

A

The potential presence of 4 K+ ions in the selectivity filter binding sites causes electrostatic repulsion between the ions and speeds up their travel. This makes ion flow through the channel so fast

54
Q

What are the structural differences between K+ ion channels and voltage-gated K+ channels?

A

Has additional structures on cytoplasmic side
Regulatory β subunit linked to channel by T1 domain
Four additional transmembrane structures that form the voltage sensors

55
Q

When the membrane becomes depolarized, what happens to the voltage sensors on a K+ voltage-gated channel?

A

They are pushes outwards as inside fo the cell isn’t as negative and isn’t pulling the sensors toward the inside anymore

56
Q

When the membrane becomes hyperpolarized, what happens to the voltage sensors on a K+ voltage-gated channel?

A

They are pulled inwards, as the negative charge inside the neuron attracts the positively charged sensors more as the negativity grows

57
Q

Are receptors more or less selective than voltage-gated channels (usually)?

A

less selective

58
Q

what membrane proteins are sensitive to chemical signals arising within cytoplasm of neurons?

A

Ligand-gated channels with ligand binding domains on intracellular surfaces

59
Q

What do Ligand-gated channels with ligand binding domains on intracellular surfaces do?

A

They turn chemical signals into electrical info

60
Q

What do Ligand-gated channels with ligand binding domains on intracellular surfaces interact with? specifically?

A

Interact with second messengers such as:

  1. Ca 2+
  2. The cyclic nucleotides cAMP or cGMP
  3. Protons
61
Q

membrane proteins that contribute to sensations of pain and body temperature

A

thermosensitive protein channels

62
Q

Other than strictly cold and heat, what are thermosensitive channels responsive to?

A

Unique mechanism based on temperature-dependent displacement of membrane lipids

63
Q

Heat and spice channel and chemical?

A

Ex: TRP channel
Responds to temperatures above 40 degree C, but also to capsaicin
(makes chili peppers spicy)

64
Q

channels that are critical components of stretch receptors and neuromuscular stretch reflexes

A

mechanosensitive channels

65
Q

a specialized form of what channel enables hearing by allowing auditory hair cells to respond to sound waves

A

mechanosensitive channels

66
Q

Possess a central pore but have extracellular blade structures that act like levers to open the channel when they are mechanically stimulated

A

mechanosensitive channels

67
Q

what general channel type restores ions displace during the current flow (that occurs as a result of both neural signaling and the continual leakage if ions that occurs even at rest)

A

active transport channels

68
Q

what do active channels store energy as?

A

ion concentration gradients

69
Q

The two general active transport channel types?

A

ATPase Pumps

Ion Exchangers

70
Q

Why do active transport channels require energy?

A

Must consume energy as they transport ions against their electrochemical gradients

71
Q

What do ATPase channels get their energy from?

A

Get their energy from the hydrolysis of ATP

72
Q

What is the active Na+/ K+ channel made of?

A

A large protein containing two subunits:

 - a
 - b
73
Q

What is the subunit a of the Na+/K+ active channel do?

A

responsible ion translocation and spans the membrane 10 times

74
Q

What is the subunit b of the Na+/K+ active channel do?

A

spans the membrane once, predominantly extracellular

75
Q

Na+ pump accounts for up to ____ of the brain’s total energy consumption

A

2/3

76
Q

Further studies showed Na+ and K+ were not pumped at the same rate: ________________________

A

→ 2K+ enter for every 3Na+ removed

77
Q

describe the fueling of the Na+/K+ pump by ATP. What that energy promotes?

A

Fueled by binding of ATP and transfer of the phosphate group from ATP to the pump

ATP binding promotes binding of intracellular Na+ and the release of K+, while pump phosphorylation leads to extracellular release of Na+ and binding of K+

In between the two states of ion translocation are states that prevent leakage of ions in the reverse direction, with subsequent hydrolysis of ATP leading to the dissociation of ADP. This switches the pump between taking in intracellular K+ and removing intracellular Na+

78
Q

what do ion exchangers use as their energy store? How many ions can they carry at once? What directions do they go in?

A

Uses the electrochemical gradients of other ions as an energy source

Carry one or more ions up their electrochemical gradient while, at the same time, taking another ion down its gradient

79
Q

What do antiporters (ion exchanger) do?

A

Antiporters: exchange intracellular and extracellular ions

80
Q

What do co-transporters (ion exchanger) do?

A

Co-transporters: Carries multiple ions in the same direction

81
Q

What are the two kinds of ion exchangers?

A

antiporters and co-transporters