Neuromuscular Junction Flashcards
What is synaptogenesis
Formation of the synapse
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) comprises portions of what 3 cells
- Motor neuron
- Muscle fiber
- Schwann cell
True or False:
The motor nerve terminal is specialized for NT release
True
What are used for energy involved with synthesis and release of NT
Mitochondria
Where is there a high concentration of AChRs on the postsynaptic cell
Clustered at the top of the folds
Where are voltage gated Na+ channels located on the postsynaptic cell
In the depression of folds
What do the Schwann cells do for the NMJ
Provide insulation and nourishment
Where do myoblasts originate from
The somite
Where do motor axons arise from
Somata
Where do Schwann cells arise from
Neural crest cells
True or False:
Neural crest cells are the precursor to Schwann cells
True
What do myoblasts turn into
Muscle fibers
Do myoblasts, motor axons, and Schwann cells travel short or long distances to create the NMJ
Long distance
True or False:
Early connections are none specific and go through a period of differentiation
True
True or False:
At birth the NMJ is fully functional and multiply innervated
True
Where do motor axons originate from
Neural tube
What do myoblasts turn into before muscle fibers
Myotubes
What does nerve to muscle contact lead to (2)
- Early synaptic transmission
2. Postsynpatic membrane differentiation
When do vesicles start to form in the presynaptic cell
As soon as the presynaptic cell touches the motor end plate
True or False:
AChRs subunits are expressed at low levels in myoblasts
True
Are the AChRs subunits slowly or quickly upregulated on the nerve to muscle contact
Quickly
What are the 3 way AChRs subunits are quickly upregulated
- AChR clustering
- Transcriptional activation of AChR subunit genes by sub-synaptic nuclei
- Transcriptional repression of AChR subunit genes by non-synpatic myonuclei
What are the 3 pathways that are implicated in the process of postsynaptic differentiation
- Agrin interacts with MuSK
- Neuregulin interacts with erbB kinases
- Activation of AChRs which stimulates voltage gated channels allowing for Ca++ to enter the cell
What does agrin interacting with MuSK do
Organize rapsyn mediated clustering