Memory Flashcards
What is synaptogenesis?
Functional connections between nerve cells
Axonal growth ones follow cues to the target tissue and form post synaptic terminals when cells stop growing
How is synapse formation competitive?
Not all neurons will form synapses
Not all synapses will persist
Synapse formation can dictate neuronal or target survival
What is needed in order to form functional synapses?
The correct receptors need to be expressed
Synapses need to be at the correct location
The correct part of the membrane needs to differentiate into the synapse
Receptors must match the target tissue
The correct number of synapses must be made (1-10,000 per neuron)
How does synaptogenesis occur at a neuromuscular junction?
On approach the motor axon differentiates into the motor nerve terminal at the contact point
Schwann cells cap the junction
The muscle cell then forms post-synaptic apparstus
What are the morphological features of synaptic specialisation?
Small vesicles at presynaptic membrane
Narrow cleft filled with ECM between pre and post synaptic membranes
Post synaptic membrane appears thickened
What are the changes when a growth cone turns into a synapse?
Filopodia retraction Tight junction formation Membrane and extracellular glycoproteins are added Presynatpic vesicles Dense extracellular matrix Receptors accumulate in the cleft
What dictates the synaptic sites?
Where the axon hits the membrane - fine spatial control is needed
The approaching growth cone talks to its target
Site availability
Post-synaptic cells can have pre-prepared sites
What are sniffers?
Cone shapes on post-synaptic cells which have some Ach receptors - attract growth cones
Describe AchR receptor clustering in the post-synaptic membrane
Initially Ach receptors present at morderate levels on the myotube surface
Innervation causes the receptors to cluster which involves the redistribution of AchRs and localised synaptic synthesis of the receptors
What other receptors cluster at the post synaptic membrane?
Glycine, GABA and glutamate receptors
What evokes clustering?
Dennervated or destroyed muscle
NMJs form where synaptic basal lamina persists
A proteoglycan was identfied called agrin
What happens when nerve is removed from innervated muscle?
The muscle regenerates, but the nerves do not
clustering is still present
What is agrin purified from?
T california
What are the mechanisms of agrin action?
Agrin binds to muscle specific kinase because it has a high affinity
Musk signals to kinase
Raspin clusters the AchRs forming a patch of membrane with clustered Ach
Musk knockout mice are agrin insensitive
What do growth cones express?
Frizzled, FGFR2, Neurexin
What do granule cells express?
Wnt7a, FGF22, Neuroglin
What is a hebbian synapse?
Co-ordinated activity of a pre-synaptic terminal and a postsynaptic neuron strengthen the synaptic connections between them
What is synaptic refinement?
Motorneuron axon/ branch loss
Describe synaptic focusing in the visual system experiement
A radioactive label to start with can be seen all over the cortex
Later striping occurs where one of the eyes is innervated
This shows alternating inputs from the eye
This is connection focusing
Most sympathetic neurons use which neurotransmitter?
Adrenaline
Most parasympathetic neurons us which neurotransmitters?
Acetylcholine
What happens of a parasympathetic neuron from a quail is transplanted into a chick in a sympathetic area?
The transplanted parasympathetic neurons swap over to the correct neurotransmitters according to their position
How can some synapses remain silent?
There is aquisition of pre-synaptic release machinery and post synaptic NMDA receptors
However, if there is no additional input they remain silent because they lack AMPA receptors
Activity recruits AMPA receptors to the postsynaptic domain to acvtivate synaptic activity
Where can silent synapses be found in the developing mature nervous system?
In neuromuscular junctions
Activation can occur in long term potentiation in the mature hippocampus
What are the types of memory?
Declarative vs non-declarative
short vs long term
What is the active zone of a presynapse?
The site of vesicle release
Also has a higher sensitivity to calcium so it can enter the cell and cause vesicle release
List three important presynapse proteins
SNARE proteins, syntaxin and snaptobresin
What is synaptogamin?
A calcium senser which links the calcium channel and the synaptic vesicle
What are the three types of vesicles in the presynaptic membrane?
1) Readily releasable pool- fast release
2) Proximal pool - substitutes the ready releasable pool, slower release
3) The reserve or resting pool
Why is it important to have fast and slow release pools?
If a s synapse is stimulated a lot it means there is no or very little vesicles in the proximal and readily releasable pool
This is important for plasticity and depression
What are the three main types of glutamate receptor?
AMPA and NMDAR (ionotropic)
mGlut (metabotropic)
Describe the mGlu receptor
Metabotropic
Coupled to a g protein
Activates adenylate cyclase which converts ATP to cAMP
Also activates phospholipase C
What does the AMPA receptor do?
Binding of glutamate causes sodium influx and potassium efflux
What is the role of the NMDA receptor?
Causes calcium influx
What conditions must be met for the NMDA receptor to work?
The membrane needs to be depolarised
Mg needs to be removed so the channel can open
What are the advantages of using ‘simple’ systems
Large neurons are easy to patch/probe
Circuit complexity is easier to understand
They can be temperature independent
Mapping = neurons can be labelled
What are the two most simple forms of memory?
Habituation and sensitisation
Name some examples of habituation in mammals
The eye blink reflex
Habituation of repetitive non-harmful stimulus presentation eg living next to a noisy road
Habituation of visual attention
Habituation of emotional responses
What type of organism is the aplysia?
A snail