Coordination Flashcards
Describe the transmission of nerve impulses
The signals are very brief changes in the distribution of electrical charges across the cell surface membrane called action potentials caused by very rapid movement of Na+ and K+ ions into and out of the axon.
What is meant by Resting potential?
it is the difference in electrical potential that is maintained across a neurone when it is not transmitting an action potential it is normally about -70 mV inside and maintained by a Na+ and K+ pump.
What causes the presence of a resting potential?
Because of an overall excess of negative ions inside the the membrane compared to the outside.
Why is there a build up of negative ions inside the membrane than the outside?
- More protein channels for K+
- Negative ions attract K+
- K+ is mainly open but Na+ will only open when a certain potential difference is reached.
How does sodium move back into the membrane?
By an electrochemical gradient
How is the electrochemical gradient built up?
- Steep concentration gradient
2. Negative ions inside that attract the Na+
What is the purpose of a coordination system in most mammals?
- To coordinate the regulation of substances
2. To change the activity of some part of the organism in response to an external stimulus.
What are the 2 types of information transfer?
What is their mode of transmission?
- Nerves -> Electrical impulses
2. Blood -> Hormones
What are the two main parts of the mammalian nervous system?
A Central nervous system a peripheral nervous system.
What is the role of Neurones?
They coordinate the activities between sensory receptors and effectors
What are the 3 types of neurones?
What to they coordinate?
- Sensory neurones: Receptors and CNS
- Intermediate/ Relay neurone: Sensory and Motor neurones.
- Motor: CNS and effectors
What are dendrites?
They are a short cytoplasmic process of a neurone that receives nerve impulses from other neurons.
What is the Axon?
They are the long cytoplasmic process of a neurone.
Name the parts of a motor neurone.
- Nucleus
- Dendrite
- Cytoplasm containing many mitochondria and an extensive endoplasmic reticulum.
- Schwann cell
- Nucleus of a Schwann cell
- Synaptic knob
- Terminal branches
- Axon
- Node of Ranvier
- Cell body
What is the role of the dendrite?
It creates a larger surface area for other neurones
What is the role of the Axon?
it conducts nerve impulses over a long distance.
What is Myelin?
it is a substance that surrounds many axons, made up of many layers of the cell surface membranes of Schwann cells.
What are Schwann cells?
They are a cell that is in close association with a neuron, whose cell surface membrane wraps around the axon of the neuron to form a myelin sheath.
What is the Myelin sheath?
What is the role of the myelin sheath?
It is the enclosing sheath made largely of lipid, together with some protein.
The sheath affects the speed of conduction.
What are Nodes of Ranvier?
A Short gap in the sheath surrounding an axon.
What is a Reflex arc?
It is the pathway taken by an action potential leading to a reflect action; the action potential is generated in a receptor, passes along a sensory neurone into the brain or spinal cord, and then along a motor neurone.
What is a reflex action?
It is a fast automatic response to a stimulus; reflex actions may be innate (inborn) or learned (conditioned).
How is a reflex action coordinated?
- Neurones takes part of the impulse directly to the brain.
- The effector neurone responds to the stimulus before there is any voluntary response involving the conscious regions of the brain.
Describe the movement of ions during the generation of an action potential.
3 Na+ is moved out for every 2K+ brought inside the axon. This is done using proteins that use energy from the hydrolysis of ATP.