M&R Flashcards
What range of movement is available to proteins in bilayers?
Conformational change
Rotational
Lateral diffusion
How are peripheral proteins removed from the lipid bilayer?
Changes in pH or Ionic strength
How are integral proteins removed from the lipid bilayer?
Agents that compete for non-polar interactions, e.g. detergents
What is the structure of Cholesterol?
Hydrophilic polar head group
Rigid planar steroid ring structure
non polar hydrophobic hydrocarbon tail
What are the 3 main molecules that make up the cytoskeleton and how are they arranged?
Ankyrin anchors Spectrin to cell membrane, Actin molecules link Spectrin cells
What causes Hereditary Spherocytosis? What does it lead to?
Deficiency of Spectrin, erythrocytes round up and become less resistant to lysis during passage through capillaries.
Shortened RBC life leads to Haemolytic anaemia
What causes Hereditary Elliptocytosis? What does it lead to?
Defect in spectrin molecules means they can’t form end to end junctions so lattice cant form, results in fragile cells
Leads to Haemolytic anaemia
What does the Na+ K+ ATPase transporter do?
Pumps 3Na+ outwards + 2K+ inwards
What does the PMCA (Plasma Membrane Ca2+ATPase) do? Whats its primary role?
Pumps 1 H+ in and 1 Ca2+ out of the cell
Main role is to remove residual Ca2+ from the cell, its a high affinity but low capacity transporter
What does SERCA transporter do? Whats its primary role?
Pumps 1 H+ out of ER and 1 Ca2+ into ER
Main role is to remove residual Ca2+ from the cell, its a high affinity but low capacity transporter
What does the NCX (Sodium-Calcium exchange) do? Whats its primary role?
Pumps 3 Na+ into the cell and 1 Ca2+ out of the cell
Removes toxic levels of Ca2+ as its low affinity but high capacity transporter
What does the NHE (Sodium Hydrogen Exchange) do? Whats its primary role?
Pumps 1 Na+ in and 1 H+ out
Acid extrusion
How is Bicarbonate reabsorbed in the kidney?
Na/K Pump keeps the intracellular [Na+] low so NHE can pump H+ into the proximal tubule. H+ then ‘picks up’ Bicarbonate and brings it back into the cell
What is the function of Loop Diuretics? How does it work?
Anti-hypertensive drug
Blocks the Na/Cl/K exchanger in the thick ascending limb preventing the Na+ reuptake therefore increasing the amount of water excreted from kidney
Which gene is affected in Cystic Fibrosis? How does it effect transport in and out of the cell?
CFTR Gene
Faulty CFTR gene creates a faulty transporter, Cl isnt transported out of the cell so water doesn’t follow causing thick mucus
Which transporters lead to diarrhea?
Over activation of the CFTR gene by PKA leads to excessive Cl- being pumped into the lumen
What is fast synaptic transmission?
The receptor protein is also the ligand gated ion channel
What is slow synaptic transmission?
The receptor and the channel are separate proteins, the signal is passed between them either by;
Direct G-protein gating
Gating via intracellular messenger
What is Accommodation?
The longer a stimulus the larger the depolarisation needed to initiate an action potential. This is because Na+ channels become inactive in the time leading up to the threshold voltage being reached
What are the properties of a voltage-gated Na+ channel? Whats different about a K+ channel?
- Main pore forming subunit is one peptide consisting of 4 homologous repeats. Each repeat has 6 transmembrane domains. One domain can sense voltage across the membrane
- K+ channel is similar in structure but each repeat is a separate subunit
How do local anaesthetics work? (Procaine)
Act by binding to and blocking open Na+ channels preventing them from generating an action potential
Which 3 properties of an axon lead to a high conduction velocity?
- High Membrane resistance (increased potential difference across membrane)
- Larger axon diameter (lower cytoplasmic resistance)
- Low membrane capacitance (ability to store charge)
Which cells myelinate the CNS and the PNS?
CNS = Oligodendrocytes PNS = Schwann cells
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Autoimmune attack against the myelin cells. Demyelination affects ability to conduct action potentials properly
Describe the release of Neurotransmitters
- Ca2+ enters and binds to Synaptotagmin
- Vesicle containing neurotransmitter is brought close to the membrane
- Snare complex makes a fusion pore
- Transmitter released from vesicle through the fusion pore into the synaptic cleft
Describe the binding of Neurotransmitters to receptors on the post synaptic membrane
Ach will bind to Nicotinic Ach Receptors (nAchR) on post synaptic membrane. nAchR has 2 binding sites so 2 Ach molecules must bind to produce conformation change to open the channel. When activated it allows 3Na+ in and 2K+ out depolarising the membrane. Ach is rapidly broken down by Ach esterase
What is Succinylcholine used for? How does it work?
Used in operations to induce paralysis.
Binds to nAchR + opens channels to maintain depolarisation, adjacent Na+ channels won’t open as they have become inactive so can’t product AP.
Sccinylcholine takes longer to break down than Ach
What is Myasthenia Gravis? Hows does it present?
Autoimmune disease targeting nAch receptors. Antibodies directed at nAchR’s lead to loss of function and receptor degredation.
End plate potentials are reduced in amplitude leading to muscle weakness + fatigue
What receptor on the side of the ER is responsible for Calcium Induced Calcium Release?
Ryanodine
What are the 4 common mechanisms for extracellular to intracellular signal transduction?
- Membrane bound receptor with integral ion channel
- Membrane bound receptor with integral enzyme activity (insulin receptor)
- G-Protein coupled receptors
- Intracellular receptor for hydrophobic ligands (testosterone, Cortisol, T3/T4)
What is Receptor Mediated Endocytosis?
Specific binding of molecules to cell surface receptors permits the selective uptake of substances into the cell