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LIFESCI 2CC3 > Overview of the Nervous System > Flashcards

Overview of the Nervous System Flashcards

1
Q

How many genes in the nervous system?

A
  • 14 000 of 20 000 genes are in the nervous system
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2
Q

How many genes are uniquely expressed in the nervous system?

A
  • 6000
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3
Q

cells in the nervous system

A
  • neurons and glial cells
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4
Q

Neurons

A
  • specialized cells involved in (often) long-distance intercellular (between cells) communication and electrical signaling
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5
Q

Nucleus

A
  • organelle that houses DNA

- where gene expression occurs

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6
Q

Soma

A
  • also called cell body

- contains nucleus and other organelles

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7
Q

Dendrites

A
  • tree-like projections that receive signals from other neurons and transmit them to the soma
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8
Q

Axon hillock

A
  • located at the end of the soma; site where action potentials are generated
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9
Q

Axon

A
  • extends from the axon hillock and carries action potential away from cell body down to the axon terminal, where it will communicate with other neurons or muscle cells
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10
Q

Myelin sheath

A
  • discontinous sleeves of lipid-based insulation produced by oligodendrocytes (CNS) or Schwann cells (PNS) membrane
  • helps increase speed of action potential
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11
Q

Nodes of Ranvier

A
  • uninsulated gaps in the myelin sheath along the axon

- together with myelin, it helps increase the speed of action potential down the axon

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12
Q

Axon terminal

A
  • also called presynaptic terminal or terminal button

- site at the end of the axon where neurotransmitters are stored

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13
Q

Synapse

A
  • site of information exchange between two neurons

- often form between axon and dendrites of two neighbouring neurons but can occur between axon-axon or dendrite-dendrite

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14
Q

Glial cells

A
  • non-neuronal cells that do no engage in electrical signalling
  • function to provide metabolic and functional support for neurons in CNS and PNS
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15
Q

What are the glial cells in CNS?

A

ependymal cells, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and microglia

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16
Q

What are the glial cells in PNS?

A

satellite cells and Schwann cells

17
Q

Ependymal cells

A
  • lines the ventricles of the brain and spinal cord

- creates CSF

18
Q

Oligodendrocytes

A
  • lines axons in CNS, insulating them with a fatty substance called myelin
19
Q

Astrocytes

A
  • star-shaped cells that mediate levels of neurotransmitters around the synapse and regulate the ion concentrations
20
Q

Microglia

A
  • CNS macrophages involved in controlling local immune responses
  • act primarily as scavengers that remove cellular debris from sites of injury
21
Q

Satellite cells

A
  • surround somata of neurons in the PNS

- similar to astrocytes, they assist in regulating the external chemical environment

22
Q

Schwann cells

A

line axons in PNS, insulating them with myelin

23
Q

Neural circuits

A
  • arrangement of neurons interconnected by synapses that work together to perform a particular function
  • ex. patellar (knee-jerk) reflex
24
Q

Reflex

A

motor response to sensory input that doesn’t require consciousness

25
Q

Monosynaptic

A

direct communication between sensory neuron and motor neuron

26
Q

Central Nervous system

A

central processing centre that receives, integrates, and interprets information from periphery, and sends information back out to the periphery

27
Q

Two main functions of CNS

A
  1. receiving and interpreting and relaying sensory information
  2. higher-order learning known as associational systems (e.g., learning, memory, emotions)
28
Q

Peripheral nervous system

A

connects CNS to external environment and various organs

29
Q

Somatic

A
  • voluntary
  • receives and responds to sensory input and innervates skeletal muscles
  • responsible for voluntary motor functions
  • e.g., walking
30
Q

Autonomic

A
  • involuntary
  • also known as visceral
  • controls internal organs and is responsible for involuntary bodily functions
  • e.g., breathing, digestion
  • split into two types; sympathetic and parasympathetic
31
Q

Sympathetic

A

flight or fight

32
Q

Parasympathetic

A

at rest

33
Q

Genes

A

comprises of coding DNA sequences (exons) that are templates for mRNA that will ultimately be translated into a protein, and regulatory DNA sequences (promoters and introns) that control whether and in what quantities a gene is expressed given a cell type

34
Q

Gap junctions

A

allow for cytoplasmic continuity and the direct transfer of electrical and chemical signals between cells in the nervous system

35
Q

Synaptic cleft

A

site of extracellular proteins that influence the diffusion, binding and degradation of molecules including neurotransmitters

LIFESCI 2CC3 (3 decks)

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