Neurons and glia: Bear/Barr's Flashcards
What is neurophilosophy?
No separation of mind and brain
What do neurons do?
-process information
-sense environmental changes
-communicate changes to other neurons
-command body response
What do glia/neuroglial/neuroglia do?
insulate, support and nourish neurons
What is the purpose of scientists hardening the brain and how do they do it?
To create slices of the brain using microtome (precision cutting instrument), harden the brain my immersing in formaldehyde
What is histology?
The microscopic study of the structure of tissues
Describe the Nissl stain
-cationic dye
-binds to RNA and DNA
-stains nuclei of all cells
-distinguishes between neurons and glia
-enables histologists to study arrangement or cytoarchitecture of neurons in different parts of body
-the clump of material it shows is called Nissl bodies (rough ER)
Describe Golgi stain and its purpose
-soaking brain in silver chromate solution (called Golgi stain) makes a small percentage of neurons become darkly coloured in their entirety
-shows 2 distinguishable parts: nucleus (cell body/soma) and neurites (axon and dendrites)
What is the difference in lengths of axons and dendrites?
axons can extend over long distances (a metre or more), dendrites rarely longer than 2mm
What was Cajal’s contribution?
The neuron doctrine (similar to cell theory): neurons are not continuous with each other, and communicate by contact not continuity, shown when electron microscope was invented because of resolving power; each neuron is a structural and functional unit
What is the soma (cell body)?
-aka perikaryon
- contains the nucleus
-Roughly spherical central part of the neuron
- approx. 20 micrometres in diameter
- contains watery, salty, potassium-rich fluid called cytosol
What are organelles?
- Membrane-enclosed structures
Some of them are: - Rough endoplasmic reticulum and smooth endoplasmic reticulum
- Golgi apparatus
- Mitochondria
What is the cytoplasm?
Everything contained within the confine of the cell membrane, excluding the nucleus
What is the Nucleus?
- spherical and centrally located
- 5-10 micrometres across
-contained within double membrane called nuclear envelop (has pores, about 0.1 micrometres across)
-Gene expression
-transcription
-RNA processing
What are chromosomes?
-Within the nucleus
-contains genetic material DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
-each chromosome contains an uninterrupted double-strand braid of DNA
-humans have 46 chromosomes
describe DNA
-blueprint of your entire body
-DNA in all of your cells in your body are the same
-What distinguishes cells from one another are the specific parts of DNA that are used to assemble the cell. These segments of DNS are called genes (0.1 to several micrometres in length)
What is the “reading” of DNA called? and what is the final product of it?
gene expression, the final product is synthesis of molecules called proteins`
What is protein synthesis and where does it occur?
The assembly of protein molecules, occurs in the cytoplasm
Since DNA never leaves the nucleus how does genetic message get across the nucleus envelope?
An intermediary carried the genetic message to sites of protein synthesis in cytoplasm. This function is performed by messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)
Describe mRNA
-Consists of 4 different nuclei acids strung together in various sequences to form a chain
-The detailed sequence of the nucleic acids in the chain represents the information in the gene. (just as a sequence of letters gives meaning to a written word
What is the process of assembling a piece of mRNA that contains the information of a gene, and what is the result called besides mRNA?
Transcription, The resulting mRNA that comes from this is called the transcript
What is a promoter?
One end of the gene, the region where the RNA-synthesizing enzyme, RNA polymerase, binds to initiate transcription.
What are transcription factors?
The binding of polymerase to the promoter is tightly regulated by transcription factors
What are terminators (stop sequence)?
Located at the end of the sequence of DNA, RNA polymerase recognises this as the end point for transcription
What are intron?
-Gene that cannot be used to code for protein
-initial transcripts contain both introns and exons but then by a process called RNA splicing the introns removed and the remaining exons are fused together
What are exons?
The coding sequences, they are left behind after introns are removed.
What is alternatively spliced mRNA?
Specific exons are also removed with the introns, encodes different protein. Thus, transcription of a single gene can ultimately give rise to several different mRNAs and protein products
What are the building blocks of protein?
Amino acid, 20 different kinds.
What is translation?
The assembling of proteins from amino acids under direction of the mRNA
What is the “central dogma” of molecular biology?
DNA –Transcription–> mRNA –Translation–> protein
What is the human genome?
The entire length of DNA that comprises the genetic information in our chromosomes
What is gene copy number variations?
-Genetic basis for some diseases
-Long stretches of DNA that contain several genes are missing; in other, genes are duplicated, leading to overexpression of specific proteins.
-often occur at moment of conception
-some instances of serious psychiatric disorders, including autism and schizophrenia
What was mutations?
-can cause nervous system disorders/diseases
-“typographical errors”
-can be single nucleotide polymorphisms (minor “misspelling” like a single (e.g., color, colour) –> can affect protein function
What is genetic engineering?
Ways to change the organisms by design with gene mutations or insertions. Technology used in mice –> knockout mice- gene has been deleted “knocked out”
–> transgenic mice genes have been introduced and overexpressed, new genes called transgenes
–>knock-in mice: native gene is replaced with modified transgene
Where does protein synthesis occur?
-At dense globular structures in cytoplasm called ribosomes
- mRNA binds to the ribosomes and the ribosomes translate the instructions contained in the mRNA to assemble the protein molecule –> ribosomes use the blueprint provided by mRNA to manufacture proteins from raw material in the form of amino acids
- many ribosomes attached to stacks of membrane called rough endoplasmic reticulum (rough ER)
-Protein also produced by free-floating ribosomes – several free ribosomes attached by a thread called polyribosomes.
What is the difference between protein synthesized on rough ER and those on free ribosomes?
Depends on intended fate of protein molecule:
-if destined to reside within the cytosol of neurons, then in free ribosomes
- if protein destined to be inserted in membrane, then synthesized on rough ER
What is smooth endoplasmic reticulum?
-continuous with rough ER but doesn’t contain ribosomes
-heterogeneous and perform different functions in different locations
-some parts of smooth ER is site where proteins come out of rough ER are folded giving them 3-d shape
-other parts not involved in protein folding, but regulate internal concentrations of substances such as calcium
What is golgi apparatus?
-membrane enclosed disks in soma farthest from the nucleus
-site of extensive “post-translational” chemical processing of proteins
-sorts certain proteins that are destined for delivery to different parts of neurons (like neurites)
What is mitochondrion (plural: mitochondria)?
-very abundant organelle in soma
-about 1 micrometre long
-within the enclosure of their outer membrane are multiple folds of inner membrane called cristae
-between cristae is inner space called matrix
-site of cellular respiration
What happens when the mitochondrion “inhales”?
-Pulls in pyruvic acid (derived from sugars and digested proteins and fats) and oxygen –> both floating in cytosol
-pyruvic acid enters into complex series of biochemical reactions called Krebs cycle
-biochemical products of Krebs cycle provide energy that, in another series of reactions within the cristae (called electron transport chain), results in addition of phosphate to ADP, yielding ATP
What happens when the mitochondrion “exhales”?
17 ATP molecules released for every molecule of pyruvic acid taken in
What is energy currency of cell?
ATP (adenosine triphosphate)
Describe the neuronal membrane
-serves as barrier to enclose cytoplasm inside neuron and exclude certain substances
-about 5mm thick
-studded with proteins
-structure of discrete membrane regions influences neuronal function
-different is its soma, dendrite or axons membrane
Describe the cytoskeleton
-Gives neuron its shape
- the “bones” of cytoskeleton is microtubules, microfilements and neurofilaments
-not static
describe microtubules
-20nm in diameter
-involved in rapid transport of protein molecules and small particles in both directions of neurites
-relatively large (compared with neurofilaments and microfilaments) and run longitudinally down neurites
- wall of microtubule pipe composed of smaller strands braided like rope around hollow core
-each smaller strand consists of protein tubulin
-polymerisation and depolymerization of microtubules regulate shape of neuron (by various signals within neuron)
What is polymerization?
process of joining small proteins to form a long strand, resulting strand called polymer
What are MAPs?
-microtubule-associated proteins, one class of proteins that participate in regulation of microtubule assembly and function
-anchor microtubules to one another
-pathological changes in an axonal MAP, called tau, implicated in the dementia that accompanies Alzheimer’s disease
describe microfilaments
-5nm in diameter (same as cell membrane)
-found throughout neurons but particularly numerous in neurites
-braid of 2 thin strands of polymers of protein actin
-constantly undergoing assembly and disassembly (regulated by signals in neuron)
-closely associated with membrane, anchored to membrane by attachment with meshwork of fibrous proteins that line the inside of membrane like spider web
describe neurofilaments
-10nm diameter (intermediate size between microtubules and microfilament)
-exist in all cells of body as “intermediate filament” only in neurons called neurofilaments
-consists of multiple subunits (building blocks) that wound together into a rope like structure
each strand of rope consists of individual long protein molecules, making neurofilaments mechanically very strong
-when gathered in bundles called neurofibrils
where does the axon begin?
-The axon hillock, tapers away (gets smaller) from the soma from initial segment of the axon proper
What are the features that distinguish axon from soma
-no rough ER extend into the axon, few if any free ribosomes in mature axons
-protein composition of axon membrane different from soma
Where do the proteins that are in the axon come from?
no ribosomes in axons means proteins in axons originate from soma
What are axon collaterals?
The axons that branch out