Functional Polarity Flashcards
what does a simple polarised cell look like?
a standard cell with differing apical and basolateral surfaces?
what’s a highly polarized cell?
neuron
what 3 components make up cell cytoskeleton?
microtubules
microfilaments
intermediate fibres
what are microtubules made of?
tubulin
in which direction do microtubules grow?
radially- from nucleus outwards
what are microfilaments made of?
actin
what’s the order of transmission of a neuron- starting from synapse?
synapse –> dendrite –> cell body–> axon–> synapse
what does a developing neuron look like?
cell body with branching neurites and a growth cone and end with filopedia coming out
what happens during stage 1 (day 0) of neuron development?
plated neurons make lamellopedia
what happens during stage 2 (day 0.5) of neuron development?
neurons extend in several places- short processes of equal length
what happens during stage 3 (day 1) of neuron development?
one process begins growing rapidly and acquires axonal features
what happens during stage 4 (day 4) of neuron development?
remaining processes grow slowly and acquire dendrite characteristics
what happens during stage 5 (days 7-10) of neuron development?
neurons are fully polarized and synapses begin to form
what drives neuronal polarity?
cytoskeleton
which of the 3 cytoskeleton components have polarity?
microtubules
microfilaments
describe the axon in terms of cytoskeleton
all microtubules orientated with + ends outwards and associate with specific binding proteins to become stabilized polymers
describe the dendrites in terms of cytoskeleton
start with being all +end microtubules, but later become mixed with + and - ends facing both directions
how long are microtubules?
25nm
what, structurally are microtubules?
hollow tubes
what binds microtubules?
GTP
how long are intermediate filaments?
10 nm
what, structurally are intermediate filaments like?
rope- like
how long are microfilaments?
7nm
what, structure do microfilaments have?
helical
what binds microfilaments?
actin
how do microtubules form?
a and B tubulin are globular proteins
dimerise to form a aB heterodimer
polymerise to form protofilament chain
lateral interactions between a to a and B to B chains form a cylindrical microtubule structure- mature
what end is exposed in a-tubulin?
-
what end is exposed in B-tubulin?
+ (fast growing)
what are the subunits of tubulin?
enzymes that catalyyze GTP to GDP
how do subunits add and leave tubulin?
T-form recruited at +end
D-form shed from minus end (as - end is less stable)
what’s it called when a tubulin polymer is at constant length?
treadmilling
what’s it called when tubulin GTP hydrolysis is faster that subunit addition?
dynamic instability (shrink)
what influence the rate at which microtubules grow?
MAPs - bind +end
what are the subunits in neuronal intermediate fibres?
neurofilaments
what are neurofilaments abundant in?
myelinated axon
what are the 3 types of NF filament?
light
medium
heavy
how do intermediate fibres form?
the neurofilaments form dimers, then tetramers then 8 tetramers associate to form rope-like filaments
do neurofilaments have polarity?
no
what do tail domains of H and M neurofilaments do?
radiate outwards due to extensive -ve charges
what forms the bulk of the axon?
neurofilaments