Midterm 2 Material Questions Flashcards
List the flow of action potential generation during signal conduction.
Dendrites are the primary synaptic sites where info is sent to the cell soma, integrated and propagated along axons to other synaptic sites.
*Propagates along nodes of Ranvier
Where is the decision made regarding action potential generation?
The axon hillock
-Abundance of Na+ channels
What determines the firing pattern of action potentials in the cell?
-Type of ion channels expressed in the cell soma
True or False:
Axons act as active transporters of information from one cell soma to the next.
False.
-Passive transporters (majority)
At what site is an action potential turned into a chemical signal to act upon other cells?
The axon terminal
What are the predominant types of channels found at synaptic sites, including dendrites and the cell soma?
- Ligand-gated channels
* Can also be found in axons
In what part of signal conduction are Na+ channels found in?
The axon
In what area do channels important in modulating firing pattern appear?
-The cell soma
The axon hillock is where this firing pattern may be transformed into an action potential
Ca2+ channels important in neurotransmitter release (example would be ACh release) appear at which part of signal conduction?
The axon terminal
chemical signal that can terminate on other cells
Burst firing of action potentials in the hypothalamus allows for what process in the human body?
-Allows for a bolus release of oxytocin and ejection of milk from the breasts
What law is responsible for the size and shape of passive responses in a cell?
Ohm’s Law
V= I x R
*current, resistance and capacitance
True or False:
Passive responses decay with time, whereas Active responses do not decay over time.
True
What is characteristic of an EPSP?
A depolarization
(cell becoming more positive)
–>If strong enough, can trigger an action potential.
What is characteristic of an IPSP?
A hyperpolarization
cell becoming more negative
What causes a passive response to decay with time??
- Current leak through the membrane
- Cytoplasmic resistance
True of False:
Post-synaptic potentials attenuate.
(signal’s decline in amplitude before reaching the soma)
True.
True or False:
-Length constant increases when membrane resistance increases (membrane becomes less leaky).
-Length constant increases when internal resistance decreases (larger axon).
True.
-Signals propagate further if the membrane doesn’t leak, as well as if the axon is larger.
–> Larger length constant= less resistance of current propagation= signal changes Vm faster and further.
Do signals travel faster or slower in large axons compared to small axons?
Signals travel faster in thicker (larger) axons.
–>Leads to a larger length constant, meaning a faster and larger passive signal.
-Signal is larger when membrane resistance increases (membrane is less leaky) and when internal resistance decreases.
Approximate size comparison of length constants of squid axons versus mammalian axons.
Squid axon length constant: 13 nm
Mammalian axon length constant: 0.2 nm
Intermittent myelination leads to what kind of action potential propagation?
Saltatory conduction
-Spreading of action potentials along nodes of Ranvier
Na+ channels are densest in which regions of cell transduction?
-The axon hillock and the nodes of Ranvier
How does myelination increase speed of signal transduction (increase length constant) ?
- Myelination increases membrane resistance (insulation- makes the membrane less leaky) and decreases membrane capacitance.
- This leads to a decrease in time constant and an increase in length constant.
Which two factors lead to an increase in speed conduction of signals?
- Increase in length constant
- Decrease in time constant
True or False:
Oligodendrocytes in the CNS and Schwann Cells in the PNS speed up transmission by increasing membrane resistance and decreasing membrane capacitance.
-True.
True or False:
Neurons can proliferate, whereas Glial Cells can not.
False.
Glial Cells can proliferate but neurons can’t.
When intracellular calcium levels are low, how is the structure of the gap junction affected?
- The pore remains open.
- Connexin subunits stay tilted 7-8 degrees from the axis perpendicular to the plane of the membrane.
–>Parallel shift causes closing of the pore.
Describe the relationship of current as it passes through one cell to another through a gap junction.
-Current entering the second cell will be a mirror image of the graph of current exiting the first cell.
True or False: Humans and rats have very similar connexion sequences.
True.
Chemical Transmission of ACh on nicotinic receptors:
An action potential enters the presynaptic terminal, causing voltage gated calcium channels to open and Ca2+ enters the presynaptic terminal. An increase in (Ca2+)i causes synaptic vesicles to fuse with the presynaptic membrane. This allows the transmitter molecules to diffuse through the synaptic cleft to bind to their receptors of the post-synaptic cell.
- Bound receptors activate post synaptic cell.
- The transmitter is broken down by enzyme or taken back up into the pre synaptic terminal.
(Neurotransmitter release is dependent on depolarization of the presynaptic membrane.)
What can prevent neurotransmitter release?
-Blocking Ca2+ channels blocks calcium influx.
Ex. of a calcium blocker is Cadmium.
What is BAPTA?
- Ca2+ chelator which buffers Ca2+ ions
- ->Prevents neurotransmitter release
What is synaptic delay and what are it’s causes?
- Large delay between Ca2+ influx and the post-synaptic response.
- IS MUCH LONGER THAN SIMPLE DIFFUSION OVER A MEMBRANE (approx. 50 nm)
-Highly temperature dependent- suggests the delay is mainly due to the neurotransmitter release mechanism
True or False:
The higher the temperature, the shorter the synaptic delay.
True.
What is the effect of using curare on the neuromuscular junction?
-Competitive neuromuscular blocker
Blocks ACh binding
What is the effect of using neostigmine on the neuromuscular junction?
- AChE Inhibitor
- Allows ACh to stay in the synapse longer.
Describe quantized release of ACh?
-The quantal event corresponds to ACh release from one synaptic vesicle.
What are individual Miniature End Plate Potentials? (MEPP’s)
-Small depolarization’s that occur in discrete multiples of a unitary amplitude (same size).
What occurs after the ACh binds the nicotinic receptor?
- ->EPSP
- Leads to an excitatory post synaptic potential which decays from its site of action.
- Size is decreased with presence of curare.
What is an End Plate Potential?
Action potential in the post synaptic cell.
True or False:
EPP’s increase with intracellular calcium and decrease with intracellular Mg2+.
-True.
Mg2+ blocks Ca2+ channels
What is one quantum?
-One quantum generates a MEPP which is the smallest amount of stimulation one neuron can send to another neuron.
What is the summation of MEPP’s?
EPP
What pump is responsible for sending ACh into the synaptic cleft of the neuromuscular junction?
- ACh-H+ exchanger.
* Active secondary pump dependent on the H+ gradient of the proton pump.
How do vertebrae’s neuromuscular junction use ACh?
-The vertebrae synapse is designed to release a large amount of ACh from synaptic vesicles to cause maximal activation of the post synaptic muscle cells in response to action potential in the motor neuron.
(Pumps ACh into the synaptic cleft)
How do carbon fibre microelectrodes detect neurotransmitters?
Neurotransmitters oxidize with H+
Seretonin as an example
What is Full Fusion?
Vesicles bind membrane and dispenses contents fully into the synaptic cleft.
What is “Kiss and Run” Fusion?
-Vesicle binds membrane and PARTIALLY dispenses contents- then moves back to the interior to have its store of neurotransmitters replenished.
What is Botulism toxin? What is it’s mechanism of action?
-Endopeptidases that cleave synaptobrevin, SNAP-25 or syntaxin.
What is Tetanus toxin’s mechanism of action?
-Cleave synaptobrevin
What are ionotropic receptors?
-Ligand Gated Ion channels
What are metabotropic receptors?
-G-protein linked receptors
ACh binds a nicotinic receptor through which kind of receptor activity?
Ionotropic: Ligand gated ion channel
ACh binds a muscarinic receptor through which kind of receptor activity?
Metabotropic: G protein coupled receptor
What is characteristic of G protein coupled receptors?
-Typically have 7 transmembrane regions, a neurotransmitter binding site on the extracellular side, and a G protein interaction on the cytosolic side of the membrane.
Common examples of metabotropic receptors:
-Muscarinic, glutamate receptors, GABA receptors, ect.
Describe the cAMP pathway.
-Activation of a G protein which leads to the activation of adenylyl cyclase which converts ATP into cAMP, which leads to the activation of Protein Kinase A. This leads to the activation or inhibition of several different secondary pathways due to phosphorylation.
How do G proteins modulate pathways?
- Can modulate pathways through a diffusible second messenger
- Can also involve direct channel modulation by the beta-gamma subunit.
Signal Amplification through the G protein coupled cascade?
Usually depends on the activation of adenylyl cyclase, PKA and the phosphorylation of different pathways.
Muscarinic activation of G proteins in the heart muscle leads to what activity?
-Leads to opening of K+ channels through a direct effect of the beta-gamma subunit.
How do G proteins regulate as secondary messengers?
-Regulate adenylyl cyclase and can be inhibitory of stimulatory, to increase or decrease production of cAMP.
Describe the IP3 pathway.
- PLC splits PIP2 into IP3 and DAG, both which acts as secondary messengers and activate different pathways.
- ->IP3 causes an increase in (Ca2+)i
- ->DAG activates Protein Kinase C
What is the different between diverging and converging transmitter actions?
Diverging transmitters activate several different pathways, whereas converging transmitters come together to all activate the same pathway (ie. They all activate the same G protein)
What are the 3 subunits of G proteins?
Alpha, beta and gamma
What is the difference between spactically focused and widely divergent synaptic connection?
-Spatically focused is when one neuron has effects on several other neurons under one neuron branch, and widely divergent means one neuron has several effects on different neuronal branches.