MCQs

Question 1

KCC2 transporter

Answer 1

potassium-chloride cotransporter 2

Functions by extruding chloride ions out of the postsynaptic neuron, which helps to maintain a low concentration of intracellular chloride

Question 2

IV relationship for resting 2PK conductance - 3 things

Answer 2

Outward potassium current flux will be observed at membrane voltages more negative than the potassium equilibrium potential

The conductance of the membrane has a non-linear relationship to membrane voltage

The conductance increases when the membrane voltage is depolarised relative the potassium equilibrium potential

Question 3

Genes in cerebellar granule cells that determine potassium equilibrium potential

Answer 3

TWIK-1, TASK-1, TASK-3

Question 4

External potassium, sodium, chloride, calcium concentration

Answer 4

K+ = 5mM
Na+ = 145mM
Cl- = 110mM
Ca2+ = 3mM

Question 5

Internal potassium, sodium, chloride, calcium concentration

Answer 5

K+ = 140mM
Na+ = 15mM
Cl- = 4mM
Ca2+ = 0.1mM

Question 6

What does the amplifier record in patch clamp?

Answer 6

Current changes at a constant voltage

Question 7

Can membrane capacitance be estimated with patch clamp technique?

Answer 7

yes

Question 8

Voltage clamp and patch clamp

Answer 8

Voltage clamp experiments can be carried out using patch clamp technique

Question 9

Why was voltage clamp technique developed?

Answer 9

• To remove capacitive current from recording
• To be able to quantify changes in membrane permeability due to single ion channels

Question 10

Structure of voltage gated sodium ion channel

Answer 10

S4 alpha subunit region is the voltage sensing region (positively charged)
Pore lining region contains positively charged amino acids
Inactivation gate is between S3 and s4 in domain 4

Question 11

What determines the max resolution possible with fluorescence imaging?

Answer 11

Numerical aperture

Question 12

Katz, Castillo and Miledi 1960s

Answer 12

Suggested neurotransmitters are released at high concentrations in the synaptic cleft

Question 13

Sherrington

Answer 13

Coined the term synapse

Used EM to investigate anatomy of synapse

Question 14

What influences the duration of the postsynaptic conductance?

Answer 14

Concentration of neurotransmitter
Bind affinity of ligand-gated ion channels at postsynapse

Question 15

Postsynaptic conductance change by GABAa influenced by…?

Answer 15

Number of GABAa receptors
Extracellular concentration of chloride ions
Expression of KCC2 transporter in postsynaptic neuron

Question 16

Synaptic plasticity

Answer 16

Acquisition of new motor skills = changes in dendrite spine motility