Ch. 3 Neurons (Exam 1) Flashcards
1
Q
action potential
A
- rapid change in neuron’s membrane potential
- used to transmit info from the cell body to the presynaptic terminal
2
Q
afferent neurons
A
- neuron
- conveys info into the nervous system
3
Q
antagonists
A
- block or counteract the activity of a neurotransmitter
4
Q
astrocyte
A
- glial cell
- regulates chemical concentration gradient
- repair injury and contribute nutrients
5
Q
axon
A
- projection from cell body of neuron
- conveys info away from the neuron
- highway to transmit info
6
Q
axon hillock
A
- part of axon that connects to the cell body
7
Q
axon terminals
A
- branches at the end of the axon
- where neurotransmitters are released
- decide to communicate info
8
Q
bipolar neurons
A
- one dendrite and one axon connected to the cell body
9
Q
concentration gradient
A
- concentration difference of ions outside vs inside the cell
- ions move down gradient from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration
10
Q
degradation
A
- neurotransmitters inactivated by being broken down by other molecules
11
Q
dendrites
A
- branching projections from the cell body of the neuron
- specialized for conveying info into neuron
- receive info
12
Q
depolarized
A
- having a smaller difference in charge across the cell membrane
13
Q
electrical gradient
A
- difference in electrical charge between the inside and outside of the cell
- ions move towards area with opposite charge
14
Q
electrical synapses
A
- non-chemical synapses for cells to communicate
- enables electrical charges to flow between cells
15
Q
excitatory post-synaptic potential (EPSP)
A
- change in the membrane potential (ADD)
- cell becomes less negative
- positively charged ions enter the cell
- depolarizes cells
16
Q
GABA
A
- inhibitory neurotransmitter
17
Q
glial cells
A
- supporting functions
- ensure optimal environment for neurons
18
Q
glutamate
A
- amino acid and excitatory neurotransmitter
19
Q
inhibitory post-synaptic potential (IPSP)
A
- change in membrane potential (SUBTRACT)
- inside of cell becomes more negative
- positively charge ions exit the cell
- hyperpolarizes cells
20
Q
ion channels
A
- proteins embedded in the cell membrane
- allow ions to cross between the inside and outside of the cell
- selective permeability
21
Q
ionotropic receptors
A
- open a channel through the cell membrane to allow ions to enter or leave
- fast
22
Q
ions
A
- charged atoms or molecules
23
Q
membrane potential
A
- difference in electrical potential between the inside and outside of the cell
24
Q
metabotropic receptors
A
- affect the internal metabolism of the cell by use of signaling cascades
- slow
25
micro glia
- glial cells
- provide immune system functions for the CNS
26
monoamines
- class of neurotransmitters
- dopamine, epinephrine, serotonin, melatonin
27
monopolar neurons
- one connection to the cell body
- connection branches to form the axon and the dendrite
28
myelin
- fatty material wrapped around axons
- provides insulation and speeds up the neuronal conduction
29
neuron
- cell in the nervous system
- specialized for quickly transmitting electrical signals over long distances
30
nodes of Ranvier
- gaps in the myelin sheath
- enable ions to cross the neuronal membrane
31
oligodendrocytes
- glial cells
- wrap myelin around the axons in the CNS
- insulate axons
32
receptors
- proteins embedded in the cell membrane
- specialized to interact with neurotransmitters and affect function of cell
33
refractory period
- time after action potential
- voltage-gated ion channels are inactivated and unable to generate another potential
34
retrograde transmitters
- pass from the post-synaptic cell to the pre-synaptic cell
35
reuptake
- neurotransmitters are inactivated by being transported back into the cell, where they can be reused
36
saltatory conduction
- propagation of an action potential along a myelinated axon
- action potential jumps between nodes of Ranvier
37
Schwann cells
- glial cells
- wrap myelin around the axons in the PNS
38
second messengers
- molecules used by metabotropic receptors as part of the signaling cascade
39
spatial summation
- EPSPs and IPSPs that occur at different locations along the cell's membrane will combine to change the membrane potential
40
synaptic cleft
- space between the pre- and post-synaptic neurons
- where neurotransmitters diffuse
41
synaptic vesicles
- membrane-bound sacs of neurotransmitters
- stored in the presynaptic terminal of the axon
42
temporal summation
- EPSPs and IPSPs that occur at slightly different times combine to change the membrane potential
43
threshold
- membrane potential at which a neuron will generate an action potential
44
transporters
- proteins that move neurotransmitter molecules from the synapse back into the axon terminal
- part of reuptake
45
voltage-gated ion channels
- change from a closed to an open state when the membrane potential reaches a certain value
46
who discovered and coined the term neuron (2 people)?
- Santiago Ramon y Cajal
- Heinrich Wilhelm Waldeyer
47
functional parts of a neuron (summary)
- input: dendrites
- integration: axon hillock
- conduction: axon
- output: synapse
48
electrical gradients attract K+ _____ the cell
concentration gradients attract K+ ______ the cell
- into
- outside
49
electrical gradients attract Na+ _____ the cell
concentration gradients attract Na+ ______ the cell
- inside
- inside
50
efferent neurons
- convey info out of the nervous system
51
synaptic transmission
- neurons cleared from the synaptic cleft through:
- active reuptake
- diffusion
- enzyme degradation
52
why does an action potential only travel in one direction?
- because of the refractory period
- Na+ that go back enter the refractory period, so it only triggers the gates going forwards
53
brainbow
- potential for mapping every neuron in the brain
- green fluorescent protein (GFP) originally isolated from jellyfish, when target protein is expressed so is GFP
