Neurophysiology Lecture 1 Flashcards
1
Q
Key Features of Neurons
- How are they at rest?
a. A Neuron is analogous to what?
b. How is the inside relative to the outside?
c. What is VOLTAGE? - Stimuli induce changes in polarization
a. Define Depolarization
b. Define Hyperpolarization
A
- Electrically Polarized
a. to a “Plus” and “minus” poles of a battery
b. Negative
c. Difference b/w Electrical Potential - a. Cell potential becomes less negative, or even positive inside relative to the outside
b. Cell potential becomes more negative
2
Q
Key Features of Neurons (2)
- Changes in polarization can be transmitted throughout the cell
a. How do neurons conduct voltage: Actively or Passively?
b. They can also create a wave of voltage change. What is this called? - Where do these changes get communicated to?
A
- a. Passively
b. Action Potential - Other neurons, Sensory Receptors, Muscle Cells
3
Q
Electrophysiological Techniques
- 3 Types of recording
A
- a. Single Cell (Extra and Intracellular)
b. Multiple Cell Recording
c. Volume Recording (Non-invasive and Invasive)
4
Q
Resting Potential
- What is it?
- When is there an Electrical Potential (voltage) involved?
- What 2 things will BALANCE each other?
- Potential Depends upon what 3 things?
A
- Gradients of Particles (Atom or molecules) across a membrane which PRODUCES OSMOTIC PRESSURE!
- If the particles producing the gradient are IONS.
- Electrical and Osmotic Pressure
- a. Charge of the ion (which pole of the battery you’re contacting)
b. Size of the gradient (voltage of the battery)
c. Ionic Permeability (how much current is flowing from the battery)
5
Q
Relating Concentration to Potential
- Potential (E) depends on what?
- What is the Nernst Equation?
- Goldman Equation?
A
- a. Charge of the Ion (z)
b. Ionic gradient (ratio of OUTSIDE to INSIDE)
c. Permeability (P) - It’s for a Single Ion Gradient
- It gives the Potential for Any combination of Ionic Gradients!
* E = RT/(zF)*ln([ion outside cell]/[ion inside cell])
6
Q
- Sodium
a. Internal Concentration
b. External Concentration
c. Potential
A
- a. 10 mM
b. 142 mM
c. +70
7
Q
- Potassium
a. Internal Concentration
b. External Concentration
c. Potential
A
- a. 100
b. 4
c. -94
8
Q
- Calcium
a. Internal Concentration
b. External Concentration
c. Potential
A
- a. 0.25
b. 2.4
c. +120
9
Q
- Chloride
a. Internal Concentration
b. External Concentration
c. Potential
A
- a. 10
b. 103
c. -86
*HIGHER INTERNAL CONCENTRATION = Negative potential (higher than external)
10
Q
Ionic Permeability
- How do Ions usually cross the membrane?
- Why are channels needed?
A
- Thru ION CHANNELS: Specialized proteins
2. due to membranes being primary lipid bilayers, and charged molecules aren’t very soluble in lipids.
11
Q
Types of Ion Channels
- Leakage Channels
- VG Ion Channels
- Receptor-Linked (ligand-gated) Ion Channels
- G-Protein Coupled Ion Channels
A
- Always Open
- Open only at certain voltages
- Open in response to the stimulation of a neurotransmitter receptor
- Open in response to changes in the level of GTP
12
Q
Resting Neuron Illustration
- What does each ion w/a concentration gradient act like?
- What does each Ion channel act like?
- At rest, why is the Potential (-75mV) close to that of POTASSIUM?
A
- A Battery
- A Resistor (Leakage) or a Switch (Other types)
- Cuz it has the greatest permeability (Current Flow)
13
Q
Depolarization
- What is the threshold level?
a. What does reaching this threshold do?
b. What happens to the Cell’s potential at this point?
A
- A decrease in negative potential that reaches the threshold (+15 to +30 mV above resting voltage)
a. Opens VG Sodium Channels (they now have high conductance)
b. Cell’s Potential (+55mV) moves closer to that of Sodium
14
Q
Repolarization
- What happens to Sodium Channels?
- and then…?
- What happens last?
A
- Spontaneously close (like turning off a switch)
- VG-Potassium channels open (after a delay) to repolarize, and hyperpolarize the cell (-80mV)
- Additional Potassium channels spontaneously close and the cell returns to resting potential, but it’s refractory to further stimulation (about 2 ms)
15
Q
The Action Potential
- What is an Action potential?
A
- 1 Complete cycle of depolarization and repolarization
* Threshold change in resting potential –> Depolarization –> Repolarization –> Return to Resting Potential