Synapse Flashcards
What are the benefits for electrical signaling?
Covers long distance with minimal loss of signal
Rapid
Quickly Repeated
Information can be conveyed in patterns
What are the limitations for electrical signaling?
Binary
Difficult to modify
Energy Intensive
Microenvironment dependent
What is resting membrane potential?
The potential energy in the electrical gradient formed across the plasma membrane.
What causes the Resting Membrane Potential?
The K+ (Potassium) Leak Channels
Is the inside of the membrane positive or negative?
Negative
Is the outside of the membrane positive or negative?
Positive
Is the concentration of K+ high or low inside the cell?
High
Is the concentration of K+ high or low outside the cell?
Low
At resting membrane potential, the membrane is permeable to what Ion?
Potassium (K+)
What is Ohm’s Law
V=IR
What is Electrochemical Equilibrium?
When the concentration and electrical gradients for an ion are in balance
What is an active transporter?
Actively moves selected ions against concentration gradient.
What is an ion channel?
Allows ions to diffuse down concentration gradient. (Passive)
What are some examples of Ion channels?
K+,
Na+,
Ca2+,
Cl-
What is an example of an active transporter?
Na+/K+ ATPase
What allows the neuron electrical activity?
Membrane Potential
Are the Potassium (K+) leak channels fast or slow flowing?
Slow
What helps maintain the electrochemical gradient at the Resting Membrane Potential?
Na+/K+ ATPase pump
What is the Nernst Equation used for?
To find the Equilibrium potential of an individual ion.
What is Goldmans Equation?
To find the Equilibrium potential of the entire plasma membrane.
What creates the Neuron Passive Electrical state?
Cytoplasm is electrically resistant
Passive current decays rapidly over space and time
What causes the Action Potential?
The sequential opening of Na+ and K+ channels in a voltage and time dependent manner.
What is an Action Potential?
A rapid change in membrane potential.
How does the Action Potential move?
It is propagated down axons.
Is a Voltage Gated Ion channel Passive or Active?
Passive
Is a Ligand Gated Ion channel Passive or Active?
Passive
When a Voltage Gated ion channel is open which direction do the ions flow?
Down their concentration gradient
Do Voltage-Gated Ion channels have a refractory period?
Yes
What makes a Ligand-Gated ion channel work?
The ligand binds to ion channel
What are some examples of ligands?
Neurotransmitters
Ions
Proteins
Lipids
How much Na+ is moved from the Na+/K+ ATPase working?
3 Na+ out
What channels are open during the resting phase?
The K+ leakage channel
What causes the Activation Phase?
A stimulus that opens stimulus induced Na+ Channels.
Which direction does Na+ flow during the activation phase?
Inside the cell
What does the influx of Na+ do to the membrane potential.
Raises it in the Positive direction.
What channels are open during the Activation Phase?
K+ leakage channels
Stimulus induced Na+ Channels
After you hit threshold which phase happens?
Rising Phase
What channels are open during the Rising Phase?
K+ Leakage channel
Stimulus induced Na+ Channel
Voltage Gated Na+ channels
What happens when the Voltage Gated Na+ channels are opened?
Rapid cell Depolarization
What happens in the Falling Phase?
Voltage Gated Na+ Channels are closed
Voltage gated K+ Channels are opened
Can the Voltage Gated Na+ Channels open during the falling phase?
No they are in a refractory period.
What is a refractory period?
When the Voltage Gated Na+ Channels can NOT open
What helps reestablish the Resting Potential after Hyper-polarization?
The K+ Leak channels
Where are axons potentials initiated?
Axon Hillock
Where is the Axon Hillock?
Where the axon meets the cell body
What direction does the Action Potential travel?
Anterograde (Unidirectional)