Pack 19 Flashcards
Give an example of hormonal communication?
Blood glucose concentration.
What chemical is used to stimulate target cells in the nervous system?
Neurotransmitters.
Describe the difference in how communication occurs in the hormonal and nervous system.
- Chemicals called hormones.
* Action potentials/nerve impulses and neurotransmitters
What carries the “signal” in both the hormonal and the nervous system?
- Blood system.
* Neurones.
Which transmission is more rapid, hormonal or nervous?
Nervous
Describe three differences in the RESPONSE to the hormonal system and the nervous system.
- Hormonal response - widespread, slow, long-lasting
* Nervous Response - localised, rapid, short-lived.
Where do hormones travel compared to nerve impulses? Therefore how is the response to hormones specific?
• All parts of the body (but only target cells respond). Nerve impulses travel to specific locations.
What is a neurone?
• A specialised cell adapted to rapidly carrying electrochemical changes called nerve impulse from one part of the body to another.
Describe the structure of a motor neurone. (6)
- A call body - containing all the usual organelles.
- Dendrons - extensions of the cell body which subdivide into dendrites.
- An axon - a single long fibre that carries the nerve impulse away from the cell body.
- Schwann cells - surround the axon - electrical insulation. Carry out phagocytosis. They wrap themselves around the axon many times - layers of their membranes.
- Myelin sheath - forms covering of the axon - made up of Schwann cell membranes.
- Nodes of Ranvier - gapes between Schwann cells. 2-3μm. very 1-3mm in humans
What do dendrons and dendrites do?
Carry the nerve impulse towards the cell body.
What are neurones with a myelin sheath called?
Myelinated Nerone.
What is the role of Schwann cells? (3)
- Protect the axon providing electrical insulation.
- Carry out phagocytosis (removal of cell debris)
- Nerve regeneration.
- Form myelin sheath.
Name the three types of neurone.
- Sensory
- Motor
- Intermediate
What is the role of a sensory neurone?
Transmit nerve impulses from a receptor to an intermediate or motor neurone.
Describe the basic structure of a sensory neurone.
• One long dendron that carries the impulse towards the cell body and an axon that carries it away.
What is the role of a motor neurone?
• Transmit nerve impulses from n intermediate neurone to an effector, gland or muscle. Long axon short dendrites.
What is the role of an Intermediate neurone/relay neurone?
• Transmit impulses between neurones e.g. from sensory to motor. They have numerous short processes.
Define nerve impulse.
A self-propagating wave of electrical activity that travels along the axon membrane.
What are the two states of a neurone membrane. In terms of nerve impulse.
- Resting potential
* Action potential.
Give three ways in which the movement of ions across the axon plasma membrane is controlled.
- Phospholipid bilayer prevents sodium and potassium ions diffusing across it.
- Cannel proteins - some are gated ie. can be opened and closed - facilitated diffusion. Some remain open all the time.
- Carrier proteins - active transport. Na+/K+ pump.
By what process do ions move through channel proteins?
Facilitated diffusion.
By what process do ions move through carrier proteins such as the sodium-potassium pump?
Active transport.
Why does the cell body of a motor neurone contain a large rough endoplasmic reticulum.
Production of neurotransmitters (proteins)
What is the resting potential of humans usually? Which side of the membrane is negatively charged?
65mV - meaning the inside of the axon is negatively charged.
During resting potential (65mV) what is the neurone membrane said to be?
Polarised
Describe how a resting potential is achieved. (4)
- 3Na+ ions actively transported OUT and 2K+ ions IN TO the axon by the Na+/K+ pump.
- Outward movement of sodium ions is greater than the inward movement of potassium so more Na+ in the tissue fluid than the axon and more potassium ions in the cytoplasm.
- Electrochemical gradient.
- Most of the potassium channels are open and most of the sodium ones are closed.
What is an action potential? What causes an action potential?
- The temporary reversal of charges either side of the axon membrane.
- A stimulus of sufficient size is detected by a receptor.
What happens to the membrane potential during an action potential?
• The membrane potential difference changes from around -65mV (negative inside) to +40mV (+ve inside).
What is the part of the axon said to be during the temporary reversal of charges?
Depolarised.
Why does depolarisation occur? (1)
Channels in the axon membrane change shape and hence open or close, depending on the voltage across the membrane.
What are the channels that change shape due to voltage called?
voltage-gated
Describe the sequence of events of the depolarisation of the membrane of the axon. (7)
- at resting potential some K+ voltage gated channels are open (permanently). Na+ ones are closed.
- Energy of the stimulus causes some Na+ voltage-gated to open therefore Na+ diffuse in along the electrochemical gradient.
- This causes a reverse in the potential across the membrane.
- As Na+ diffuse in more Na+ channels open so even more Na+ diffuse in.
- Once the action potential is around +40mV the voltage gates on the Na+ channels close and K+ ones open.
- With K+ now open the electrical gradient preventing further outward movement of K+ is now reversed, more K+ open. More K+ diffuse out. Repolarisation.
- Outwards diffusion of K+ causes temporary overshoot of potential = hyper polarisation. The K+ ion gates now closed the pump restores resting potential.
What happens to an action potential once it has been created?
It moves rapidly along the axon.
How can an action potential be described in terms of depolarisation? What is the stimulus for each next portion of the axon?
- A traveling wave of depolarisation.
* The depolarisation of the previous region.
Why can an action potential be likened to a Mexican wave?
• Nothing actually moves all along the axon - each action potential causes the next section to depolarise. Like the passage of a Mexican wave.
Describe the passage of an action potential along an unmyelinated axon. (5)
- Resting potential - polarised.
- Stimulus causes sudden influx of Na+ - reversal of charge of membrane - depolarised.
- Localised electrical currents established bu influx of Na+ cause opening of Na+ V- gated channels a little further along - depolarisation in this region.Behind this new region the Na+ gates close and K+ ones open. K+ begin to leave.
- Propagated in the same way along the axon - membrane behind the action potential is repolarised.
- Repolarisation allows Na+ to be actively transported back out - ready for new action potential.
Does the size of the action potential change along the axon?
No
What does the myelin sheath do in terms of action potentials?
Prevents them from forming at this part of the axon membrane.
Where can action potentials occur on myelinated axons?
The nodes of Ranvier
What is the effect of myelination on the passage of an action potential? What is this type of conduction called?
- Localised circuits arise between adjacent nodes of the Ranvier
- Saltatory conduction
- passes faster than an unmyelinated axon
Why does an action potential pass faster along a myelinated axon?
• Depolarisation of the membrane only has to occur at each node rather than along the entire length of the axon membrane.
What is the transmission of an action potential along the axon known as?
Nerve impulse
Which three factors affect the speed at which an action potential travels?
- Myelination
- Diameter of axon
- Temperature
Why does myelination affect the speed at which an action potential travels?
- Insulator
- Action potentials can’t form between nodes.
- Saltatory conduction.
- 30ms⁻¹ to 90ms⁻¹
Why does the diameter of the axon affect the speed at which an action potential travels?
Greater the diameter the greater the conductance. Due to less leakage of ions from a large axon (leakage makes membrane potentials harder to maintain)
Why does the temperature of the axon affect the speed at which an action potential travels? (4)
- Affects rate of diffusion of ions therefore the higher the temperature the faster the nerve impulse.
- Energy for active transport comes from respiration.
- Respiration controlled by enzymes
- Enzymes function more rapidly at higher temps until a point.
- At high temps enzymes and membrane will denature therefore no action potential.
Describe the all-or-nothing principle. (3)
- There is a certain level of a stimulus known as the threshold value which triggers an action potential.
- Below this value, any stimulus, whatever size, no action potential is generated.
- Any stimulus, whatever size, above this value will generated an action potential of the same size.
Why can’t the strength of a stimulus be detected using one action potential?
All action potentials are roughly the same size. Only threshold value has to be crossed.
How can an organism perceive the size of a stimulus through nerve impulses?
- The frequency of impulses. Larger stimulus higher frequency.
- Different neurones with different threshold values. the brain interprets the number and type of neurones that pass impulses as a result of a given stimulus.
What is the refectory period?
The period after an action potential has been created in one specific region of the axon when inward movement of Na+ can’t happen because voltage -gated channels are shut. Therefore no action potential can be created.
Why can’t an action potential be created during the refectory period?
• Na+ voltage-gated channels are closed.
What are the three purposes of the refectory period?
- It ensures that action potentials are propagated in one direction only.
- Produces discrete impulses.
- It limits the number of action potentials in a given time.
What is the significance of limiting the number of action potentials that can be propagated in a given time due to the refectory period?
• Limits the strength of stimulus that can be detected.
What is the significance of producing discrete impulses?
Ensures action potentials are separated from one another.