Lecture 4 - Cellular Neurophysiology Flashcards
1
Q
What are neurons?
A
Information processing nerve cells
2
Q
What are glial cells? What do some of them contain?
A
Glial cells are support cells. A type of glial cell called Schwann cells produce myelin,
3
Q
What is the myelin sheath?
A
A fatty substance produced by Schwann cells that insulates axons
4
Q
What do dendrites do?
A
Dendrites receive incoming signals
5
Q
What do axons do?
A
Axons transmit outgoing signals
6
Q
What makes up white matter?
A
Myelinated axons
7
Q
What makes up grey matter?
A
Dendrites, cell bodies and unmyelinated axons
8
Q
What is resting potential?
A
-70mv
9
Q
What is the excitation threshold?
A
~55mv
10
Q
Does more electricity cause bigger action potentials?
A
Not bigger, just more of them
11
Q
What triggers an Action Potential?
A
Chemical activity at the synapse
