lecture 3 - claudia racca

Question 1

where are neurotransmitters found

Answer 1

at chemical synapses

Question 2

what do NTs do

Answer 2

act as chemical signals

Question 3

NTs released from vesicle by exocytosis, it interacts with specific molecules on the post synaptic side. what does this activate

Answer 3

signalling cascade

Question 4

in inhibitory synapses what NT is released

Answer 4

GABA

Question 5

in inhibitory synapses what receptor is on the post synaptic side

Answer 5

GABA receptors

Question 6

excitatory synapses release what NTs

Answer 6

glutamate

Question 7

what are the receptors on the post synaptic side of excitatory synapse

Answer 7

AMPA and NMDA receptors

Question 8

what is post synaptic density

Answer 8

a huge protein complex attached to post synaptic membrane, its only found in excitatory synapses

Question 9

excitatory synapses synapse on the…

Answer 9

dendritic spines

Question 10

inhibitory synapses synapse on the

Answer 10

dendritic trunk or the soma

Question 11

criteria that define a NT

Answer 11

1. the substance must be present within presynaptic neuron
2. the substance must be released in response to presynaptic depolarisation, and the release must be Ca dependant
3. specific receptors for the substance must be present on the postsynaptic neuron

Question 12

what are the 3 major types on NTs

Answer 12

1. low molecular weight transmitters
2. peptides
3. gases

Question 13

example of low molecular weight transmitters

Answer 13

ACh, amino acids, purines

Question 14

example of peptide NTs

Answer 14

substance P, opioids, somatostatin, vasopressin

Question 15

example of gas NTs

Answer 15

NO, CO

Question 16

example of amino acids NTs

Answer 16

glutamate, GABA, aspartate, glycine

Question 17

GABA and glycine are inhibitory, which is the major inhibitor in the brain and which in the spinal cord

Answer 17

GABA - brain
glycine - spinal cord

Question 18

which is the major excitatory NTs

Answer 18

glutamate

Question 19

life of a NT

Answer 19

1. synthesis
2. packaging into vesicles
3. release from vesicles
4. activation of specific receptors
5. removal from the synaptic cleft

Question 20

the small molecule transmitters will be synthesised and packaged where

Answer 20

in the terminal

Question 21

where are peptide neurotransmitters formed

Answer 21

in the cell body

Question 22

what vesicles do low molecular weight neurotransmitters go into

Answer 22

small clear core vesicles

Question 23

what vesicles do bioamines and neuropeptides go into

Answer 23

dense core vesicles

Question 24

what are the two types of receptors on the post synaptic membrane

Answer 24

ionotropic and metabotropic receptors

Question 25

how do ionotropic receptors work

Answer 25

ion channel, transmembrane protein that has a pore in the middle. the pore will open once it binds to NT allowing movement of ions in

Question 26

how do metabotropic receptors work

Answer 26

transmembrane proteins
they bind the NT
the G protein will then be activated and the subunits or intracellular messengers modulate ion channels allowing ions to flow across the membrane

Question 27

mechanisms for removal of NT from the synaptic cleft

Answer 27

• diffusion in combination with reuptake
• degradation by enzymes