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Life Processes > Neurobiology > Flashcards

Neurobiology Flashcards

1
Q

Transduction

A

1 form if energy is transduced into another

sensory to electrical

Electrical to movement

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2
Q

Excitability

A

likelihood of activity within the nervous system

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3
Q

Glass microelectrode

A

measuring membrane potential

glass pipette filled with electrically conducting solution

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4
Q

Patch electrode

A

measuring membrane potential

glass pipette filled with electrically conducting solution

slightly larger tip than glass microelectrode

blows small hole in membrane

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5
Q

Resting membrane potential

A

-70mV

Largely determined by K+ moving out of the cell

small contribution of Na+

membrane is more permeable to K+ than Na+

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6
Q

Potassium ions

A

K+

concentration higher in cell than outside at rest

150mM - 5mM

Tend to move down conc gradient from inside to outside

As inside of cell is negative k+ wants to move in down electrical gradient

equilibrium potential - -90mV

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7
Q

Equilibrium potential

A

When concentration gradient matches the electrical gradient of K+ ions - meaning there os no net movement of ions

Calculated by Nernst equation

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8
Q

Sodium ions

A

Na+

Higher conc outside cell

150mM outside - 15mM inside

Tend to move into cell down concentration gradient

Inside is negative and Na+ so move into cell over electrical gradient

Equilibrium potential - + 60mV

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9
Q

Permeability

A

Controlled by protein ion channels

Known as leak channels

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10
Q

Ion pumping

A

Na/K protein pump

uses ATP

3 Na+ out and 2 K+ in

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11
Q

Hyperpolarisation

A

membrane potential becomes more negative

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12
Q

depolarisation

A

membrane potential becomes less negative

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13
Q

Self adjustment

A

passive movement of K+ ions can correct the RMP

hyperpolarisation - more K+ moves into cell

Depolarisation - more K+ move out of the cell

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14
Q

Threshold

A

level at which change in MP that self adjustment cannot bring back to RMP

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15
Q

Action potential

A

Nerve impulse/spike

Last 1-3ms on average

Depolarisation takes MP to threshold

When threshold reached - permeability of Na+ increases - channels open

Na+ ions move in across concentration and electrical gradient

MP becomes more +ive

Reaches certain level

Na+ channels then close

Permeability to K+ increases (channels open)

K+ then moves out of the cell down concentration gradient

MP goes from +ive to -ive

Slight hyperpolarisation

K+ channels close

RMP restored by passive movement of leak channels

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16
Q

Voltage gated ion channels

A

Closed at RMP

opens during depolarisation

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17
Q

Hillock

A

point where impulse is initiated - point between soma and axon

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18
Q

Impulse conduction along an axon

A

AP process repeated along axon

depolarises regions of axons as impulse moves down

Self sustaining process

Refractory - cannot go back on itself

Vertebrates have a myelin sheath - insulating

Saltatory conduction along nodes of ranvier

Bigger diameter of axon = faster conduction

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19
Q

Information coding

A

Information is not determined by size and shape of impulse

Determined by frequency of impulses

20
Q

Synapse

A

Pre synaptic nuerone

Post synaptic dendrite

Synaptic cleft

vesicles containing nuerotransmitter

21
Q

Synaptic transmission

A

AP reaches PreSN - depolarises

Opens voltage gated Ca2+ channels

Ca2+ causes release of neroutransmitter from vesicles

diffuses across synaptic cleft

Ligand gated ion channels on PostSN open when bound to NT

22
Q

Excitatory Synaptic Transmission

A

Acetylcholine + glutamine

Na+ ions move through and depolarise PostSN - postsynaptic potential

travels through dendrites to hillock - not self sustaining but remains depolarised

Excitatory post synaptic potential (EPSP) - as brings closer to threshold - more likely for PostSN to fire an impulse

23
Q

Inhibitory synaptic transmission

A

Glycine + GABA

Cl- ions let in

hyperpolarised MP

Takes MP further away from firing impulse

Inhibitory post synaptic potential (IPSP)

24
Q

Summation

A

Addition of EPSPs/IPSPs

Spatial - multiple synapses

Temporal - same synapse - multiple impules

25
Facilitation
EPSPs add to one another as well as sucessive EPSPs being larger than the first
26
Skeletons
Hydrostatic - soft bodied - incompressible fluid - muscles can act against Exoskeleton - muscles attach to structures inside exoskeleton Endoskeleton - muscles act against and attach to points on it
27
Muscle
Muscle - fibre - myofibril - myofilaments - actin/myosin Dark bands - Z bands - sarcomere - between Z bands I band - lighter - just actin A band - darker - actin and myosin H band - middle of A band - just myosin
28
Muscle contraction
ATP binds to myosin heads - detach from actin ATP breaks down to ADP + P myosin straightens and attaches to actin ADP + P relased Myosin bends and pulls actin forward Cyclic process
29
Control of muscle contraction
Motor nuerons Neuromuscular junction - works same way as synaptic transmission Vertebrates - AP in MN axon NT release from NMJ (acetylholine) Excitatory junction potential in muscle cell AP in muscle cell Travels along T tubules Release Ca2+ from sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ initiates contraction - excitation-contraction coupling = transduction Invertebrates AP NT - glutamate EJP causes release of Ca2+ in sarcoplasmic reticulum not impulse in muscle cell Initiates contraction
30
Control of contraction strength
Vertebrates Many motor neurone for each muscle Each fibre controlled by a single MN Motor unit - fibres under control of single MN Recruitment - weak contraction - few motor units strong contraction - many motor units size principle - smaller motor units recruited first Invertebrates Few MN controlling each muscle - little recruitment Grading in size of muscle EJPs summation and facilitation inhibitory MNs
31
Control if insect flight muscles
Insects can contract muslces up to 100Hz wing beats up to 1000Hz Independant contraction to nerve impulse
32
Cnidarian nervous systems
Nerve net sensory neurone groupings Axon tracts (axons grouped together) Giant axons
33
Platyhelminthes nervous system
Flatworms cephalisation - sensory structures at head Have brain - nerve cords run from brain longitudinally down body - primitive CNS
34
Annelid nervous system
Earthworms + leeches Brain + 2 nerve cords running down behind brain 2 nerve cords wrap around oesophagus segmental ganglia coming off nerve cords From ganglia - peripheral nerves
35
Arthropod nervous system
Specialised sensory organs Body becoming more condensed Regional specialisation Local control Giant axons Double ventral nerve cord ganglia (thoracic) (segmental) connectives - nerve cords between ganglia
36
Mollusc nervous systems
brain wrapped round oesophagus number of nerve cords coming off it cerebral ganglia Abdominal ganglia pedal ganglia
37
Chordate nervous systems
CNS = brain and spinal cord spinal cord divided into grey and white matter cell bodies in grey axons in white interneurons contained within grey motor have cell body in grey and axon in white sensory have cell body in white and axon connect to interneurons in grey
38
Fish brain
forebrain: Thalamus - relay station for sensory info hypothalamus - body homeostasis olfactory lobe - smell cerebrum - sensory processing, cognitive functions midbrain: vision optic tectum - roof of midbrain hindbrain: control of movement cerebellum at top of hindbrain - receives lots of sensory information and state of body - stabilises motor behaviour
39
Basic sensory systems
Mechanical - touch/hearing Chemical - taste/smell Electromagnetic - vision/heat
40
Olfaction
odour molecules bind to receptors on cilia Produces 2nd messengers inside sensory neurone Opens Na+ or Ca2+ channels - ions enter neurone depolarises sensory neurone membrane - receptor potential MP crosses threshold - fires impulses
41
Taste
Direct Acid - H+ closes K+ ion channels - depolarises cell Salt - Na+ enter cell - depolarises cell Indirect Sweet - binds to receptors - 2nd messenger - closes K+ channels - depolarises cell
42
Lateral line system
Fish/amphibians Hair cells in jelly cupula hair cells connected to sensory neurone detect pressure waves/vibration in water jelly cupula moves - in turn moves hair cells.....
43
Statocyst
Invertebrates Used to detect equilibrium and balance Hollow ball of cells lined with sensory hairs Contains a statolith - calcium carbonate stone fall to the bottom of the statocyst due to gravity
44
Vestibular system
Vertebrates Inner ear 2 chambers - saccule and utricle 3 semicircular canals (arranged orthogonally)
45
Saccule
fluid filled sac encased in bone within skull cupula (jelly) cilia cells embedded in cupula When animal moves - moves cupula and stimulates hair cells
46
Semi circular canal
sensitive to rotation detect angular acceleration fluid filled cupula hair cells

Life Processes (9 decks)

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