Electrical Neural Communication Flashcards

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1
Q

Hyperpolarization of dendrites and cell body

A

IPSP

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2
Q

These gates open near the peak of the action potential and close during after-hyperpolarization

A

Vg potassium channels

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3
Q

A measure of a difference in electrical potential

A

volt

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4
Q

What are some different ion pumps?

A

Sodium-potassium pump

Calcium pump

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5
Q

Tool that visualizes voltage change over time

A

oscilloscope

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6
Q

Can measure or record activity and can deliver electrical current (stimulate)

A

microelectrodes

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7
Q

When is electrochemical equilibrium achieved?

A

When the electrical force and concentration force are balanced. The net flux is 0

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8
Q

Combines input to same location over time. Changes how fast the input is

A

Temporal summation

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9
Q

Electrical force and concentration force want this ion to go in the cell, but the cell doesn’t want it

A

Sodium

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10
Q

Usually due to the inward flow of chloride ions or outward flow of potassium ions (rare)

A

IPSP

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11
Q

Dendrites do not have this

A

Myelination

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12
Q

Is the inside of an axon positive or negative?

A

negative

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13
Q

The neuron can fire with a stronger stimulus, AP less likely. K channels are still open, effluxing out; too much K comes out making it go beyond resting

A

Relative refractory period

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14
Q

If the membrane potential becomes more positive than its is at the resting potential, the membrane is said to be this

A

Depolarized

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15
Q

Protein structure in cell membrane that uses energy (ATP) to move ions across the membrane. Like a salmon swimming upstream

A

Ion pump

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16
Q

What are the different types of ion channels?

A

Voltage-dependent (electrical)
Ligand-gated (chemical)
Mechanically-gated (physical)

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17
Q

Ratio of intracellular ions

A

Large amounts of potassium ions. Small amounts of sodium and chloride

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18
Q

The decision point of the cell

A

Axon hillock

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19
Q

Features of the resting potential

A

Neuron is polarized
Charge is around -70 mV
Selectively permeable membrane
Uneven distribution of ions on the inside vs the outside

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20
Q

What cations are involved with axons?

A

Potassium, sodium, and calcium

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21
Q

Increase in electrical charge across a membrane (more negative)

A

IPSP

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22
Q

Limits how frequently a neuron can fire, maintains unidirectionality of signals

A

Refractory period

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23
Q

A device that measures the difference in electrical potential between two bodies

A

voltmeter

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24
Q

Small analogue signals summed over time and space

A

EPSP/IPSP integration

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25
Q

These negatively charged molecules are unable to pass through channels and pumps

A

Proteins

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26
Q

What is the resting potential value for most neurons?

A

-70 mV

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27
Q

This toxin is found in pufferfish and block VG Na channels and prevents the flow of sodium. It prevents the rising phase of AP and causes death by paralysis

A

Tetrodotoxin (TTX)

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28
Q

Charge of the threshold

A

Around -60 mV

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29
Q

Selectively binds to VG Na channels to stop the flow of NA. Prevents the rising phase of AP. No sensory or motor function

A

Local anesthetics. Novocaine, lidocaine, -caine

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30
Q

What happens at leak channels?

A

Some sodium ions enter the cell through these leak channels

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31
Q

Internal resistance to flow (how big is the diameter?)

A

Axial resistance

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32
Q

Tells the neuron not to fire

A

Inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs)

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33
Q

Electrical forces want this ion to go in the cell and concentration forces want this ion to move out of the cell

A

Potassium

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34
Q

Rank the membrane permeability to the ions at rest

A

None - Proteins and calcium
Less permeable - Sodium
In between less and more - Chloride
More permeable - Potassium

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35
Q

Junction of the cell body and axon that contains many voltage-gated channels

A

Axon hillock

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36
Q

When molecules move from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration

A

moving down the concentration gradient

37
Q

What is the resting potential?

A

Electrical charge across the cell membrane in the absence of stimulation that has a store of negative every on the intracellular side relative to the extracellular side. Inside at -70 mV

38
Q

Are electrical signals from neurons large or small?

A

very small

39
Q

Fewer open channels leads to this which leads to this

A

Higher resistance to longer length constants

40
Q

Electrical force wants this ion to move out of the cell and concentration forces want it to go in the cell

A

Chloride

41
Q

Depolarization of dendrites and cell body

A

EPSP

42
Q

Which ion channel deals with neurotransmitters?

A

Ligand-gated

43
Q

These gates open at threshold and close at the peak of the action potential

A

Vg sodium channels

44
Q

What are the different parts of an ion channel?

A

Channel domains (number varies per channel), outer vestibule, selectivity fiber, diameter of selectivity fiber, phosphorylation site, and the cell membrane

45
Q

Combines input from multiple different locations. Different places giving the same input make it stronger

A

Spatial summation

46
Q

Larger diameter axons have this

A

Longer length constants

47
Q

Ratio of extracellular ions

A

Large amounts of sodium and chloride. Small amounts of potassium

48
Q

What anions are involved with axons?

A

Chloride and protein anions

49
Q

Where are the ion channels and pumps mostly located on the axons

A

In between the myelin sheaths in the nodes of Ranvier

50
Q

Lambda is equal to what

A

The distance where a graded potential has decreased to 37% of original amplitude

51
Q

Graded potentials need to do this in order to not decay as they travel from point to point

A

Active regeneration

52
Q

Tells the neuron to fire

A

Excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs)

53
Q

Graded potentials decay

A

The signal sent decays and no longer counts for anything

54
Q

What is the equilibrium potential for potassium?

A

-90 mV

55
Q

Characteristics of action potential

A

Initiated at axon hillock at threshold of excitation, large brief reversal in polarity of an axon, intracellular fluid becomes positive relative to extracellular fluid, lasts 1-2 milliseconds, mediated by opening and closing of vg ion channels, size and shape of AP remain constant along the axon, all or none, frequency coding

56
Q

Because there is a potential difference across the cell membrane, the membrane is said to be this

A

Polarized

57
Q

If threshold is reached, these open and this happens

A

Voltage-gated sodium channels and an action potential is initiated

58
Q

Depolarization is caused by these

A

Excitatory postsynaptic depolarization

59
Q

Decrease in electrical charge across a membrane (more positive)

A

EPSP

60
Q

This moves ions against the concentration and electrical forces

A

Ion pump

61
Q

Membrane potential necessary to trigger an action potential

A

Threshold

62
Q

As a result of sodium leaking into the cell during resting potential, how does the cell maintain resting potential and polarization?

A

The cell uses active transport to move against concentration gradients. It moves 3 sodium ions out of the cell and 2 potassium ions in the cell

63
Q

Protein structure in cell membrane that allows ions to pass without the use of additional energy. Like a lazy river

A

Ion channel

64
Q

Used in lethal injection cocktails. Increases concentration of K in extracellular fluid. Raised the resting potential, cells become inactive, death occurs by cardiac arrest

A

Potassium Chloride

65
Q

Hyperpolarization is caused by these

A

Inhibitory postsynaptic potentials

66
Q

How long does the action potential last

A

1-2 milliseconds

67
Q

If the membrane potential becomes more negative than it is at the resting potential, the membrane is said to be this

A

Hyperpolarized

68
Q

Properties of water

A

Polar, hydrogen bonding, and hydrophilic

69
Q

This ion wants to enter the cell because the inside is negative

A

Sodium

70
Q

What does the selectivity filter in ion channels do?

A

Allows some ions to pass through and some to not

71
Q

Potentials can travel over longer distances in these before dying out

A

Large myelinated axons

72
Q

What is decay described by?

A

Length constant (lambda)

73
Q

When value is the peak of the action potential usually at?

A

40 mV

74
Q

There are low amounts of this ion both inside and outside, but there are more outside

A

Calcium

75
Q

What is the charge of the inside of an axon?

A

-70 mV

76
Q

What is the equilibrium potential for sodium?

A

65 mV

77
Q

Number of open channels (how leaky is the membrane?)

A

Membrane resistance

78
Q

These are poor at improving potential longevity

A

Thin unmyelinated axons

79
Q

Usually due to the inward flow of sodium, but can also be done by calcium

A

EPSP

80
Q

Decreases likelihood of action potential

A

IPSP

81
Q

Facilitates likelihood of an action potential

A

EPSP

82
Q

What are the two types of postsynaptic potentials?

A

Excitatory (EPSPs) and Inhibitory (IPSPs)

83
Q

What can you change about an action potential?

A

How often it occurs (frequency coding) only

84
Q

Which presynaptic inputs will have the greatest effect on the axon hillock and ATP generation

A

The ones close to the axon hillock

85
Q

Why is the resting potential value for a neuron slightly less negative than the equilibrium potential for potassium?

A

Other ions are involved

86
Q

What is net flux?

A

The amount going in and out of the membrane

87
Q

The neuron cannot fire again under any circumstances. The VG Na channels are closed and are not capable of opening again

A

Absolute refractory period

88
Q

What is it called when the membrane returns to resting potential after depolarization?

A

Repolarization