Neurons Flashcards
What is the role of neurons?
principal building blocks and instruments of communication of the CNS and PNS
What are the roles of the networks formed by these two systems?
Communication
So organism can interact in appropriate ways with its internal (contents in the body) and external (the world outside of the body) environments
What are the three types of components found in the nervous system?
Sensory
Motor
Integrative
What is the role of the sensory components?
Monitor environmental and internal events
What is the role of the motor components?
Generate responses to sensory inours or voluntary commands
What is the role of the intgratice component?
Process and store sensory and other info
What is the role of rapid communication in neurons?
For integration and to control the active lifestyles of humans and animals
How many neurons are foun in the human brain
100 billion
What does each neuron do, physically?
Make synaptic connections with large number of other neurons (10,000)
How does each neuron do this (synaptic connections)
Defined by genetic factors and other cues
Ehat are the features of a typical neuron?
Soma (cell body)
2 processes
- dendrites
-axon (single)
Wher do neurons first recieve their input from other neurons?
Dendritic tree and soma
What are these inputs called?
Synaptic inputs/potentials
What the occurs? in syanpsis.
It goes down to the cell body where it make the decsiion to respond or not
If it does respond, what occurs>
The axon conducts the messages away from the soma to the tips of the axons where their synaptic ‘boutons’ 1 axon terminal communicate with other neurons
What are these mesgs called?
Aetnon potentials
What are the 2 types of signals in communication?
Electrical
Chemical
Which components of the neuron conducts chemical signals?
Synapses (where is transfers info) contact points
Which comp of the neuron conducts electrical signals?
Dendrites, soma, axon
Wjat are 2 eg of neurons?
Pukinje cell in cerbellum
Pyramidial cell in cerebral cortex
Both multipolar
What does RMP stand for>
Resting membrane potential
What is the RMP in all cells?
The voltage across the cell membrane at rest (absence of synaptic potentials and action potentials)
What is the value of RMP usually>
Between -50 to 70 mV
What does the value mean
The cytoplasm in the neuron has a potential that is 50 to 70 mV lower (more neg) than the potential of the extracellular space: resulting from separation of charge
How is the RMP determined?
- Unequal conc of Na+ and K+ iside and outside the cell -> electrochemical gradient driving movement of ions
- Unequal permeability of cell membrane (p) to these ions
- Electrigenic action fo the NaK pump (small contribution)
Which cells in the body can change membrane potential and why?
neurons, muscle fibres, some endocrine cells
Due to stimulis
How much can stimulus cause/can change it? (range)
Between -100 and +50mV
What are the 2 ways RMP can be measured?
Intracellular recording technique
Patch clamp technique
What is the main physical difference between these 2 techniques?
Microelectrode: 0.1 microtip –> electrode touches membrane
Patch clamp: 1 micro tip –> electrode sealed or patched on membrane - can burst it so the cytoplasm becomes continuous with solution in electrode
What do they both (techniques) measure?
Membrane pot
Action pot
Synaptic pot
What is the advantage of patch clamp?
It can also meaure the current or voltage across cell membrane (channel kinetics)
What is the approx. conc of K+ and Na+ in cell?
K = 100mM Na= 15mM