Neural Signaling and Transmission Flashcards
What are the three types of neuroglia (glial cells)?
astrocytes
oligodendrocytes
microglial cells
What do neuroglia cells do?
support the electrical and chemical functions of neurons
What does the vascular endothelium do?
provides blood supply to brain tissue
What is a neuron’s job?
primary processor of neural signals
Dendrites transport signals __________ the cell body.
toward
Axons transport signals ___________ the cell body.
away from
What is axon length?
varies from 1mm to 1 meter
What is the purpose of myelin?
insulates the axon to promote propagation of the signal
______________ form in the myelin sheath to facilitate communication.
Nodes of Ranvier
What is a synapse?
Place where neuron and post synaptic cell communicate
Axons end in _______________.
pre synaptic terminals
What happens at a chemical synapse?
presynaptic neuron releases neurotransmitter into synaptic cleft
neurotransmitter diffuses from one side to other
binds to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron
What is an action potential?
transient voltage change that propagates along an axon and travels from presynaptic to post synaptic membranes
How fast can action potentials propagate?
60 m/s
What happens once an action potential reaches a dentrite?
neurotransmitters are released from presynaptic vesicles into space between axon and dendrites of next cell
_____________ make propagation of action potential much faster.
Nodes of Ranvier
What are the ONLY two jobs of the synapse?
excite
inhibit
____________ is the most common excitatory neurotransmitter in the the CNS.
Acetylcholine
______________ is the most important excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS.
Glutamate
______________ is the most common inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS.
GABA
______________ is the main transmitter at the neuromuscular junction (PNS).
Acetylcholine
What neurotransmitters are important for ANS function (PNS)?
acetylcholine
norepinephrine
