Module 1.2 Flashcards
Neurons and other cells
Who is Santiago Ramon y Cajal?
A Spanish investigator that was the first to demonstrate that the cells individual cells compromising the nervous system remained separate
What are the Five Structures of an Animal Cell?
Membrane, Nucleus, Mitochondria, Ribosomes, and Endoplasmic Reticulum
What’s the cells membrane?
Separates the inside of the cell from the outside and has selective permeability
What’s the nucleus?
Contains chromsomes
What’s the mitochondria?
Performs metabolic activity to give the cell energy, not all mitochondrias are the same, and has their own genes separate from the nucleus
What are ribosomes?
Sites that synthesize new protein molecules
What is the endoplasmic reticulum?
Network of tubes that transport the newly synthesized protein to their locations
Why is the mitochondria important for the brain?
The brain is dependent on mitochondrial activity and is linked to depression and other disorders if the activity decreases
What are the four structures of a neuron?
Soma, dendrites, axon, and myelin sheath
What do all neurons contain?
A cell body (soma)
What’s a motor neuron?
Soma is in the spinal cord, receives excitations from other neurons, and controls muscles or glands for movement
What’s a sensory neuron?
Specialized in one end to be highly sensitive to a particular type of stimulation
What are dendrites?
Branching fibers that get narrower towards the end, lined with synaptic receptors, and have dendritic spines that increase synapses
What is the soma?
The cell body that contains nucleus, ribosomes, mitochondria, and is covered with synapses
What is the axon?
A thin fiber of constant diameter that convey an impulse to other neurons, organs, or a muscle, can be a meter long, and has the presynaptic terminal at the end
What is the myelin sheath?
an insulating material that covers axons with interruptions of nodes of Ranvier
What’s the difference between afferent neurons and efferent axons?
Afferent axons bring information and efferent axons carry away information
What are interneurons or intrinsic neurons?
Neurons that have dendrites and axons contained within a single structure
What is an astrocyte?
A glia cell that is star shaped and provides many functions. It help synchronizes the activity of the axon and generates rhythms in the body. Responsible for dilating blood vessels
What is the tripartite synapse?
A popular hypothesis, the tip of the axon releases chemicals that cause the neighboring astrocyte to release its own chemicals, thus modifying the messages to the next neuron
What are microglia?
Tiny glia cells that remove waste material and prune and manage ineffective synapses
What are oligodendrocytes and schwann cells?
Glia cells that build the myelin sheath that surrounds and insulates certain vertebrate axons, supply axon with nutrients for proper functioning, and oligodendrocytes alter the myelin sheath due to neural activity which alters the timing of axon responses
What is the radial glia?
Guides the migration of neurons and the growth of their axons and dendrites during embryonic development
What is the blood-brain barrier?
A mechanism that surrounds the brain and blocks most chemicals from entering
What is passive transport?
Chemicals that can freely transport through the barrier. Water, sodium, potassium, and chloride.
What is active transport?
Protein-mediated process that expends energy to pump chemicals from the blood into the brain. Glucose, certain hormones, amino acids, and a few vitamins are brought via active transport.
What issues does that blood-brain barrier have?
It can prevent beneficial chemicals from crossing the barrier such as chemotherapy.
What do vertebrate neurons depend on?
Glucose
What do neurons need a steady supply of?
Oxygen
What vitamin does the body need to use glucose?
Vitamin B1 or thiamine
What are gut bacteria?
Guest in the body as they’re not genetic. Stimulates vagus nerve (from the intestines to the brain)
Releases chemicals that cross the lining of intestines and enter the blood (includes vitamins and amino acids, but also chemicals that cause inflammation
These chemicals release from bacteria can affect mood and motivations
Stress increases the type of bacteria that causes inflammation and mitochondrial damage
What type of bacteria might people with depression have more of?
Gut bacteria
