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Physiology of Behaviour > Chapter 2: Structure and Functions of Cells of the Nervous System > Flashcards

Chapter 2: Structure and Functions of Cells of the Nervous System Flashcards

1
Q

A band of white matter composed of many axons crossing between the right and left hemisphere of the brain.

A

Corpus callosum

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2
Q

Consists of the parts that are encased by the bones of the skull and spinal column: the brain and the spinal cord.

A

Central Nervous System (CNS)

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3
Q

Found outside the bones and consists of the nerves and most of the sensory organs.

A

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

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4
Q

Bundles of thousands of individual neurons, all wrapped in a tough, protective membrane.

A

Nerves

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5
Q

Information, in the form of light, sound waves,
odors, tastes, or contact with objects, is gathered from the environment by specialized cells of the PNS called?

A

Sensory neurons

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6
Q

Movements are accomplished by the contraction of muscles, which are controlled by?

A

Motor neurons

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7
Q

Neurons that lie entirely within
the CNS; in between sensory neurons and motor neurons.

A

Interneurons

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8
Q

Form circuits with nearby neurons and analyze small pieces of information.

A

Local interneurons

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9
Q

Connect circuits of local interneurons in one region of the brain with those in other regions.

A

Relay interneurons

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10
Q

Information-processing and information-transmitting element of the nervous system.

A

Neuron

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11
Q

4 structures or regions of a neuron.

A

Cell body or soma
Dendrites
Axon
Terminal buttons.

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12
Q

Contains the nucleus and much of the machinery that provides for the life processes of the cell.

A

Soma

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13
Q

Greek word for tree.

A

Dendron

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14
Q

Serve as important receivers of these messages that neurons communicate with one another.

A

Dendrites

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15
Q

A small space between the terminal buttons of the sending cell and a portion of the somatic or dendritic membrane of the receiving cell.

A

Synapse

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16
Q

A long, slender tube, often covered by
a myelin sheath.

A

Axon

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17
Q

Basic message the axon carries.

A

Action potential

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18
Q

A brief electrical event that starts at the end of the axon next to the cell body and travels toward the terminal buttons.

A

Action potential

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19
Q

Little knobs at the ends of the branches.

A

Terminal buttons

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20
Q

A chemical that terminal buttons secrete when an action potential traveling down the axon reaches them.

A

Neurotransmitter

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21
Q

An active process that propels substances along microtubule “tracks” that run inside the length of the axon.

A

Axoplasmic transport

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22
Q

Movement from the soma to the terminal buttons.

A

Anterograde axoplasmic transport

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23
Q

What does “antero” mean?

A

Toward the front

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24
Q

Anterograde axoplasmic transport is accomplished by molecules of a protein called?

A

Kinesin

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25
Q

Movement from the terminal buttons to the soma.

A

Retrograde axoplasmic transport

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26
Q

Retrograde axoplasmic transport is accomplished by a protein called?

A

Dynein

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27
Q

Defines the boundary of the neuron; consists of a double layer of lipid (fatlike) molecules.

A

Cell membrane

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28
Q

A matrix of strands of protein; much like the bones of your skeletal system.

A

Cytoskeleton

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29
Q

Bundles of thirteen protein filaments arranged around a hollow core, thickest protein strand of cytoskeleton.

A

Microtubules

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30
Q

A jellylike, semiliquid substance that fills the space outlined by the membrane.

A

Cytoplasm

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31
Q

Small, specialized structures in the cytoplasm

A

Organelles

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32
Q

A round or oval structure found in the soma; where the nucleolus & chromosomes are resided.

A

Nucleus

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33
Q

Responsible for the production of ribosomes.

A

Nucleolus

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34
Q

Small structures that are involved in protein
synthesis.

A

Ribosomes

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35
Q

Consist of long strands of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA); contain the organism’s genetic information.

A

Chromosomes

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36
Q

Receives a copy of the information stored at that location.

A

Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)

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37
Q

A process in which information from DNA (which cannot leave the nucleus) is transcribed into a portable form: mRNA.

A

Transcription

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38
Q

A process in which the ribosomes use the information from the mRNA and create proteins.

A

Translation

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39
Q

Are special protein molecules that act as catalysts which direct the chemical processes of a cell by controlling chemical reactions.

A

Enzymes

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40
Q

A network of internal membranes.

A

Endomembrane system

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41
Q

An endomembrane system is comprised of?

A

Endoplasmic reticulum
Golgi apparatus
Lysosomes

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42
Q

2 forms of endoplasmic reticulum.

A

Rough ER
Smooth ER

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43
Q

ER that contains ribosomes.

A

Rough ER

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44
Q

Provides channels for the segregation of molecules involved in various cellular processes; lipid (fatlike) molecules are also produced.

A

Smooth ER

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45
Q

A special form of smooth endoplasmic reticulum; serves as a wrapping or packaging agent; also produces lysosomes.

A

Golgi apparatus

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46
Q

A process in which the membrane-wrapped product migrates to the inside of the outer membrane of the cell, fuses with the membrane, and bursts, spilling its contents into the fluid surrounding the cell.

A

Exocytosis

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47
Q

Small sacs that contain enzymes that break down substances no longer needed by the cell.

A

Lysosomes

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48
Q

Are shaped like oval beads and are formed from a double membrane; inner membrane is wrinkled; considered as the power plants of neurons.

A

Mitochondria

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49
Q

Set of shelves that fill the inside of the bead of mitochondria.

A

Cristae

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50
Q

Special molecule that cells use as their immediate source of energy.

A

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

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51
Q

Most important supporting cells of the CNS

A

Neuroglia/ Nerve glue

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52
Q

Surround neurons and hold them in place, controlling their supply of nutrients and some of the chemicals they need to exchange messages with other neurons; they insulate neurons from one another so that neural messages do not get scrambled; and they even act as housekeepers, destroying and removing the carcasses of neurons that are killed by disease or injury.

A

Glial cells/ Glia

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53
Q

3 most important types of glial cells

A

Astrocytes
Oligodendrocytes
Microglia.

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54
Q

Name means “star cell,” which accurately describes the shape of these cells; provide physical support to neurons and clean up debris within the brain; produce some chemicals that neurons need to fulfill their functions; help to control the chemical composition of the fluid surrounding neurons; involved in providing nourishment to neurons.

A

Astrocytes

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55
Q

The chemical produced during the first step of glucose metabolism.

A

Lactate

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56
Q

A carbohydrate that can be broken down to glucose and then to lactate when the metabolic rate of neurons in their vicinity is especially high.

A

Glycogen

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57
Q

A process in which when astrocytes contact a piece of debris from a dead neuron, they push themselves against it, finally engulfing and digesting it.

A

Phagocytosis

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58
Q

Provide support to axons and to produce the myelin sheath, which insulates most axons from one another.

A

Oligodendrocytes

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59
Q

Consists of a series of segments, each approximately 1 mm long, with a small (1–2 μm) portion of uncoated axon between the segments.

A

Myelin sheath

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60
Q

Bare portion of axon.

A

Node of Ranvier

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61
Q

Smallest of the glial cells; act as phagocytes, engulfing and breaking down dead and dying neurons; serve as one of the representatives of the immune system in the brain, protecting the brain from invading microorganisms; primarily responsible for the inflammatory reaction in response to brain damage.

A

Microglia

62
Q

Provides myelin for only one axon, and the entirety of it surrounds the axon; aid in the digestion of the dead and dying axons.

A

Schwann cells

63
Q

A barrier exists between the blood and the fluid that surrounds the cells of the brain; selectively permeable.

A

Blood-brain barrier

64
Q

A part of the brain that controls vomiting.

A

Area postrema

65
Q

Counteracts the excitatory synapses; supplied by the brain.

A

Inhibition

66
Q

Decreases the activity of the motor neuron, blocking the withdrawal reflex.

A

Inhibitory neurotransmitter

67
Q

Electrical recording techniques using very small sensors that can be inserted into a neuron to record changes in electrical activity across the axon membrane.

A

Microelectrodes

68
Q

Any difference in charge (positive
or negative) across the membrane is called?

A

Membrane potential

69
Q

Neuron is at rest and not involved in communicating with any other neurons, the membrane potential remains at approximately –70mV.

A

Resting potential

70
Q

Inside of an axon becomes more negative relative to the outside.

A

Hyperpolarized

71
Q

Inside of the axon becomes more positive.

A

Depolarized

72
Q

A set point, for depolarization to trigger the
main electrical event in an axon—the action potential.

A

Threshold of excitation

73
Q

A burst of rapid depolarization followed by
hyperpolarization.

A

Action potential

74
Q

The process whereby molecules distribute themselves evenly throughout the medium in which they are dissolved.

A

Diffusion

75
Q

Substances with a property to split into two parts, each with an opposing electrical charge, when dissolved in water.

A

Electrolytes

76
Q

Charged particles in which electrolytes decompose.

A

Ions

77
Q

2 basic types of ions.

A

Cations
Anions

78
Q

Ions that have a positive charge.

A

Cations

79
Q

Ions that have a negative charge.

A

Anions

80
Q

Force exerted by the attraction or repulsion by charged particles.

A

Electrostatic pressure

81
Q

Fluid within cells.

A

Intracellular fluid

82
Q

Fluid surrounding cells.

A

Extracellular fluid

83
Q

Several important ions in the fluids.

A

Organic anions
Chloride ions
Sodium ions
Potassium ions

84
Q

Negatively charged proteins and intermediate
products of the cell’s metabolic processes; are found only in the intracellular fluid.

A

Organic anions

85
Q

Ion found predominantly in the intracellular fluid; concentrated within the axon.

A

Potassium ions

86
Q

Ions found predominantly in the extracellular fluid.

A

Sodium ions
Chloride ions

87
Q

Ions that are in greatest concentration outside the axon.

A

Chloride ions

88
Q

Continuously pushes Na+ out of the axon; consists of a large number of protein molecules embedded in the membrane, driven by energy provided by molecules of ATP produced by the mitochondria; actively pumps sodium ions out of the cell and pumps potassium ions into it.

A

Sodium-Potassium Pump

89
Q

Molecules that exchange Na+ for K+, pushing three sodium ions out for every two potassium ions they push in.

A

Sodium-Potassium Transporters

90
Q

Contain passages (“pores”) that can open or close.

A

Ion channels

91
Q

A brief increase in the permeability of the membrane to Na+ (allowing these ions to rush into the cell) is immediately followed by a transient increase in the permeability of the membrane to K+ (allowing these ions to rush out of the cell).

A

Action Potential

92
Q

What are sodium channels called?

A

Voltage-dependent ion channels

93
Q

Channels that are only opened by changes in the membrane potential.

A

Sodium channels

94
Q

The channels become blocked and cannot open again until the membrane once more reaches the resting potential.

A

Refractory

95
Q

This law states that an action potential either occurs or does not occur.

A

All-or-none law

96
Q

Refers to the principle that variations in the intensity of a stimulus or other information being
transmitted in an axon are represented by variations in the rate at which the axon fires.

A

Rate law

97
Q

Decrease in the size of the disturbance.

A

Decremental conduction

98
Q

Transmission message, hopping from node to node.

A

Saltatory conduction

99
Q

Primary means of communication between neurons; the transmission of messages from
one neuron to another across a synapse.

A

Synaptic transmission

100
Q

Brief depolarizations or hyperpolarizations—that increase or decrease the rate of firing of the axon of the postsynaptic neuron.

A

Postsynaptic potential

101
Q

Neurotransmitters exert their effects on cells by attaching to a particular region of a receptor molecule called?

A

Binding site

102
Q

A chemical that attaches to a binding site.

A

Ligand

103
Q

Smooth surface of a dendrite; small protrusions that stud the dendrites of several types of large neurons in the brain.

A

Dendritic spines

104
Q

Membrane located at the end of the terminal button.

A

Presynaptic membrane

105
Q

Membrane located on the neuron that receives the message.

A

Postsynaptic membrane

106
Q

A gap that varies in size from synapse to synapse but is usually around 20 nm wide; contains extracellular fluid, through which the
neurotransmitter diffuses.

A

Synaptic cleft

107
Q

Small, rounded objects in the shape of
spheres or ovoids; found in the terminal button

A

Synaptic vesicles

108
Q

Fill vesicles with the neurotransmitter.

A

Transport proteins

109
Q

Proteins involved in the release of neurotransmitters and recycling of the vesicles.

A

Trafficking proteins

110
Q

The region from which the neurotransmitter is released.

A

The release zone

111
Q

Accomplished when clusters of protein molecules attach to other protein molecules located in the presynaptic membrane.

A

Docking

112
Q

A hole through both membranes that enables them to fuse together.

A

Fusion pore

113
Q

3 distinct pools of synaptic vesicles.

A

Release-ready vesicles
Recycling pool
Reserve pool

114
Q

Docked against the inside of the presynaptic membrane, ready to release their contents when an action potential arrives.

A

Release-ready vesicles

115
Q

Constitute 10–15 percent of the total pool of vesicles; release their contents if the firing increases.

A

Recycling pool

116
Q

Make up the remaining 85–90 percent of vesicles; release their contents if the firing increases.

A

Reserve pool

117
Q

A process where the membranes of vesicles in the reserve pool are recycled.

A

Bulk endocytosis

118
Q

Special protein molecules located in the postsynaptic membrane.

A

Postsynaptic receptors

119
Q

Permit the passage of specific ions into or out of the cell.

A

Neurotransmitter-dependent ion channels

120
Q

Contained in the membrane of the axon, less sensitive than voltage-dependent sodium channels; require a greater level of depolarization before they begin to open; open later than sodium channels.

A

Voltage-dependent potassium channels

121
Q

Junctions between the terminal buttons at the end of the axonal branches of one neuron and the membrane of another.

A

Synapse

122
Q

A type of synaptic vesicle release where the vesicle opens and closes transiently.

A

Kiss-and-run fusion

123
Q

Part of an ion channel; when a neurotransmitter bins the receptor, it responds by opening ion channels.

A

Ionotropic receptor

124
Q

Type of a neurotransmitter that ionotropic receptors are sensitive to.

A

Acetylcholine

125
Q

Indirectly linked with ion channels through signal transduction mechanisms, such a G proteins.

A

Metabotropic receptors

126
Q

Molecules that relay signals received at receptors, which causes ion channels to open.

A

Second messenger

127
Q

Original second messenger; chemical synthesized from ATP.

A

Cyclic AMP

128
Q

Four major types of neurotransmitter-dependent
ion channels found in the postsynaptic membrane.

A

Sodium
Potassium
Chloride
Calcium

129
Q

A temporary depolarization of postsynaptic membrane caused by the flow of positively charged ions into the postsynaptic cell.

A

Excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP)

130
Q

A temporary hyperpolarization of postsynaptic membrane caused by the flow of negatively charged ions into the postsynaptic cell.

A

Inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP)

131
Q

Most important source of excitatory postsynaptic potentials; keeps sodium outside of the cell.

A

Sodium channels

132
Q

When opened, some cations will follow this gradient and leave the cell.

A

Potassium channels

133
Q

Will permit chloride ions to enter the cell if the membrane potential has already been depolarized by the activity of excitatory synapses located nearby; opening serves to neutralize EPSPs.

A

Chloride channels

134
Q

Opening of it depolarizes the membrane, producing EPSPs.

A

Calcium channels

135
Q

An extremely rapid removal of neurotransmitter from the synaptic cleft by the terminal button.

A

Reuptake

136
Q

Accomplished by an enzyme that destroys molecules of the neurotransmitter.

A

Enzymic deactivation

137
Q

Destroys ACh by breaking it into its constituents: choline and acetate.

A

Acetylcholinesterase (AchE)

138
Q

Refers to the occurrence of an action potential.

A

Firing

139
Q

The interaction of the effects of excitatory and inhibitory synapses on a particular neuron.

A

Neural integration

140
Q

Located at the base of the axon.

A

Axon hillock

141
Q

Receptors that respond to the neurotransmitter that they themselves release.

A

Autoreceptors

142
Q

Alter the amount of neurotransmitter released
by the terminal buttons of the postsynaptic axon; produce presynaptic modulation: presynaptic inhibition or presynaptic facilitation.

A

Axoaxonic synapses

143
Q

The activity of the axoaxonic synapse decreases the release of the neurotransmitter.

A

Presynaptic inhibition

144
Q

The activity of the axoaxonic synapse increases the release of the neurotransmitter.

A

Presynaptic facilitation

145
Q

Synapses between dendrites.

A

Dendrodendritic synapses

146
Q

Membranes on both sides contain channels that permit ions to diffuse from one cell to another; common in invertebrates.

A

Gap junctions

147
Q

Chemicals released by neurons that travel farther and are dispersed more widely than are neurotransmitters.

A

Neuromodulators

148
Q

Chains of amino acids.

A

Peptides

149
Q

Secreted by cells of endocrine glands or by cells located in various organs, such as the stomach, the intestines, the kidneys, and the brain.

A

Hormones

150
Q

Cells that contain receptors for a particular hormone.

A

Target cells

151
Q

Consist of very small fat-soluble molecules; Examples include the sex hormones secreted by the ovaries and testes and the hormones secreted by the adrenal cortex.

A

Steroid hormones

Physiology of Behaviour (12 decks)

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