Neurotransmitters 2 Flashcards
The major inhibitory transmitter in CNS
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
As many as ___ of the synapses in brain use GABA, most common in ______
1/3, local circuit interneurons (talk to each other by electrical and chemical synapses)
GABA is derived from ____ and is/is not used in protein synthesis
Glucose metabolism, is not used in protein synthesis
Like Glutamate, levels of GABA are high/low
High (mM)
Glutamate is converted into GABA in one step via this enzyme
Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)
GAD requires what for activity?
Pyridoxal phosphate (VB6 active form)
How can VB6 deficiency cause seizures?
Vitamin B6 needed for GAD activity, need GAD to make GABA neurotransmitter
When GABA action is terminated, it has these two fates using which transporter?
- Uptake into presynaptic terminal to be reused
- Uptake by glial cell where GABA is metabolized/degraded (different than w. uptake of glutamate, which gets converted to glutamine and then reused by presynaptic cell)
Both use GAT (GABA transporter)- family of 4 GATs
GABA uses what transporter to get concentrated in SVs
VIATT
Unlike Glutamate, GABA has this one major job
Intercellular signaling
During development, GABA is excitatory/inhibitory
excitatory
During development, intracellular Cl- is (higher/lower), and reversal potential for Cl- is (above/below) threshold. GABA is inhibitory/excitatory, and opens ion channels, causing (hyper/depolarization)
intracellular is higher (35 mM)
reversal potential is above threshold (-30 mV)
GABA is excitatory
Ion channel opens, Cl- leaves cell, causing depolarization
triggers Ca2+ influx and signaling
In adult, intracellular Cl- is (higher/lower), reverse potential for Cl- is (above/below) threshold, GABA is inhibitory/excitatory and opens ion channels, causing (hyper/depolarization)
Intracellular Cl- is lower (5mM) reverse potential is below threshold (-70) GABA is inhibitory Opens ion channels and Cl- enter cells Causes hyperpolarization
GABA is synthesized by these two GAD genes
GAD67, GAD65
This GAD gene is rate limiting; influences cellular GABA content in dosage-dependent manner; turns over rapidly
GAD67
Major inhibitory transmitter in the spinal cord
Glycine
Glycine is made from ___ by mitochondrial isoform of this enzyme
Serine; Ser hydroxymethyltransferase (Ser HMT)
Like GABA, Gly uses this transporter to get into SVs
VIATT
Fate of glycine after taken up by astrocyte
degradation
after release, Gly gets taken up by astrocytes or presynaptic vesicles by these two transporters
GlyT1 (astrocytes)
GlyT2 (pre-synaptic)
This makes either GlyT1 or GlyT2 lethal
KO
Three important catecholamines
Epi, Norepi, dopa (all from tyrosine)
Catecholamines are made by what percentage of neurons in brain
<1%
almost all neurons are close to a terminal releasing
catecholamines (small number of cell bodies, but lots of processes that go pretty much all over brain)
Main base for catecholamines
Substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area
Rate limiting step in catecholamine biosynthesis. What does it require?
Tyrosine –*–> Dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA)
*tyrosine hydroxylase
requires Fe and O2