Lecture 2 Flashcards
What are the main ions responsible for a membrane potential?
ECF: Sodium, Ca, Cl (high)
ICF: Potassium (high)
What generates our resting membrane potential?
Mainly potassium. Potassium is high in our cells and low outside, so it wants to go out, giving it a diffusion potential that is highly negative.
What prevents potassium from reaching its equilibrium point?
There is charge repulsion outside of the membrane, such as phosphate ions and negatively charged side chains, as well as potassium constantly being pumped back in.
What voltage are we measuring with an electrode?
Always intracellular.
What is the nernst equation used to calculate?
The diffusion potential level across a membrane that opposes the diffusion of that particular ion, which is the resting membrane potential.
Key points of the Nernst equation
+/- 61* log [conc INSIDE/conc OUTSIDE]
It calculates electromotive force in mV.
It will be positive if the ion inside that is going out is negative.
It will be negative if the ion inside that is going out is positive. (EX: potassium)
What proteins are responsible for maintaining our resting membrane potential?
A voltage gated Na+ channel
A sodium-potassium ATP pump (3 Na+ out, 2 K+ in)
A leaky K+ channel
What is the Goldman’s equation and what is it for?
Combined Nernst equations for all ions that contribute to a membrane potential.
How fast is depolarization?
Around 0.1 ms
What occurs during depolarization?
Voltage-gated Na+ channels open and leaky potassium channel closes.
What occurs during repolarization?
Voltage-gated Na+ channels reclose and leaky potassium channel opens partially.
What condition must be met for an AP to be elicited?
Surpassing the threshold voltage. Once it is passed, a positive feedback cycle occurs to open all Na+ channels.
What is the all or none principle?
If an AP is elicited on any point on the membrane, depolarization will travel and occur over the entire membrane or it will not happen at all.
Nerve trunk myelination
The average nerve trunk contains about twice as many unmyelinated fibers than myelinated.
Explain the basic anatomy of a myelinated axon
The center is the axon, with the myelin sheath surrounding it. The sheath is typically much thicker than the axon itself. Every 1-3mm is a Node of Ranvier.
Explain Saltatory Conduction and its benefits
The electrical current can flow in the ECF outside of the sheath. APs only are elicited at the nodes, saving energy and allowing them to jump forward. It can increase transmission speeds from 5-50x.
What are the 3 factors that can cause an AP?
Anything that can cause the diffusion of sodium into the membrane such as mechanical disturbances, chemical effects, or electricity.
What is a refractory period and what happens to the channels?
A new stimulus cannot be elicited even if an AP is received. Na+ channels stay inactivated and immune to electrical signals.
What two anesthetics act on sodium channel gates and what do they do?
Procaine and tetracaine, which make it difficult for Na+ channels to open.
What does increased Ca++ in the ECF do to excitability?
It reduces it.
What part of a neuron receives electrical signals?
Dendrites, which contain synapses.
What part of a neuron transmits electrical signals?
Axon
Afferent vs Efferent
Afferent is for input coming from a receptor to a neuron. Efferent is for output coming from a neuron to an effector (such as muscle contraction)
What are the 3 roles of motor neurons?
Contraction of skeletal muscle
Contraction of smooth muscle
Secretion of active chemical substances from glands
What parallels our motor axis?
ANS
What kind of synapses are seen in the CNS for signal transmission?
Chemical only. They secrete neurotransmitters which act on receptor proteins in the membrane of the next neuron.
Where are most of the presynaptic terminals found on a neuron?
85% dendrites, 15% soma (cell body)
In what part of the neuron does summation of EPSP and IPSPs occur?
Axon hillock
What kind of channels does a presynaptic membrane contain?
voltage-gated calcium channels
What occurs during depolarization of a presynaptic terminal?
Ca channels open, cause an influx of calcium and the release of neurotransmitters.
What are the two components of a postsynaptic receptor?
Binding component: The part protruding out into the synaptic cleft.
Ionophore component: The part that passes through the postsynaptic membrane into the interior of the neuron.
What is an example of a secondary messenger system?
GPCR
Explain a GPCR mechanism
The transmitter substance binds to the receptor, which has an alpha, beta, and gamma subunit. The Alpha subunit is separated off to provide a variety of functions, such as opening channels, activating a cAMP cascade system, or activating gene transcription.
List a few ways to excite a membrane chemically.
Decreasing chloride ions to the inside
Decreasing diffusion of potassium outside
Increasing the number of excitatory receptors (up-regulation of excitatory receptors)
Decreasing the number of inhibitory receptors (down-regulation of inhibitory receptors)
List a few ways to inhibit a membrane chemically.
Opening chloride ion channels
Increasing potassium diffusion outside
Increasing the number of inhibitory receptors
Decreasing the number of excitatory receptors
Where are neurotransmitter synthesized?
In the cytosol of the presynaptic terminal.
What are the excitatory neurotransmitters?
Acetylcholine, Norepinephrine, epinephrine, glutamate.
What are the inhibitory neurotransmitters?
Dopamine, Glycine, Serotonin, and Nitric Oxide
What is the difference between a neurotransmitter and a neuropeptide?
Neuropeptides are protein molecules and are typically 1000x more potent with prolonged actions.
What is the decrement of electrical conduction?
The tips of dendrites are typically more excitable sine they have less negative membranes. As you get closer to the cell body, they continue to leak potassium, lowering the membrane potential and making it harder to depolarize.
Where do I find the most inhibition in a neuron?
As the axon hillock is approached. Inhibitory synapses typically occur near the soma.
What is the difference between spatial and temporal summation?
Spatial summation combines all EPSPs from multiple neurons in a set interval into one AP.
Temporal summation combines all EPSPs fired from a single neuron into one AP.
Explain the effect of pH on excitability
Alkalosis (increased pH) increases excitability, making you more prone to seizures. Hyperventilation can predispose one to having epileptic seizures.
Acidosis (decreased pH) decreases excitability, depressing neuronal activity.
Explain the clinical application of a ketogenic diet on epilepsy
Ketogenic diets will cause an increased in ketones, which is acidic and will lower the blood pH slightly, making seizures less likely to occur.
What happens as a synapse becomes fatigued?
Firing rate slows progressively.
Also explains why seizures usually can’t last long (synapses become exhausted)
What natural substances affect synaptic transmission?
Caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine. They can increase neuronal excitability and reduce the threshold need to excite a neuron.
What drug affects synaptic transmission? (From lecture)
Strychnine.
Increases the excitability of neurons by inhibiting other inhibitory transmitters. (competes with glycine)
How do anesthetics affect synaptic transmission?
They increase the neuronal membrane threshold for excitation.
What kind of neurons make up the grey matter of the CNS?
Interneurons
What are the conscious sensory receptors of the body?
Proprioceptive, kinesthetic, temperature, light, sound, smell, taste, touch, and pain
What are the subconscious sensory receptors of the body?
Internal chemoreceptors, baroreceptors
What does the pyramidal tract of the spinal cord govern and what part of the spinal cord is it?
Skeletal muscle, controlling all purposeful movements.
It is the lateral tract of the spinal cord.
What are general signs of a pyramidal tract disorder/upper motor neuron syndrome?
Consistent motor signs, such as Hyperflexia, loss of ability to perform fine movements, or muscle wasting. Caused by damage typically to the descending motor pathways.
What are general signs of an extrapyramidal tract disorder?
Twitching/rolling motions. Incapable of standing still.
What are the two types of extrapyramidal tract disorders?
Akinetic rigid syndrome (Parkinsonism) and dyskinesias
Describe the process of a reflex arc.
Peripheral receptors send sensory input which go to interneurons in the spinal cord and relay information. The impulses then go to the efferent pathways (motor) to the effector organ.
Describe a motor unit
A motor unit is made up of a single alpha motor neuron that innervates multiple muscle fibers. The number of fibers depends on the muscle; eyes have 10 fibers/neuron while the gastrocnemius has 1800 fibers/neuron.
What is a motor pool?
All alpha motor neurons that project to a given muscle collectively.
Characteristics of a cross-sectional area of a motor unit
numbers of muscle fibers
size of muscle fibers
<10% of the variance in the maximum force generated among motor units in a motor pool
What is the size principle?
Within a single motor pool, the motor neurons will be recruited in order of ASCENDING size. Small first.
The larger the motor neuron, the more branches it has, the more it innervates, and the more force it generates.