The Chemical Synapse Flashcards
What is the synapse
specialised gap region between apposing cell membranes
What is synaptic transmission
process underlying cell-cell transfer of electrical signals
What did Loewi discover
evidence neurons send information chemically
What are the common features of a chemical synapse
mitochondria, cleft, extracellular proteins, pre, post synaptic cells
Why do synapses have mitochondria
energy intensive process
What are the two types of chemical synapse
neuron to non-neuronal, neuron to neuron
Where are neuron to neuron synapses found
CNS
What is the most common neuron-non-neuronal synapse
neuromuscular junction
Where do neuron to non-neuronal synapses go
glands, smooth muscle, heart
What neurotransmitter does the neuromuscular junction use
ACh
What do motor neuron action potentials ALWAYS cause
muscle cell APs and contraction
Where are synaptic vesicles found at the neuromuscular junction
active zone
What are located at junctional folds on the neuromuscular junction
receptors
Which neuron contains junctional folds
post synaptic
What align on the neuromuscular junction
junctional folds with active zones
Name some synaptic arrangements in the CNS
axondendritic, axosomatic, axoaxonic dendrodritic
What is the function of axoaxonic synapses
regulate or gate transmission from one neuron to another
What do larger synapses usually have more of
active zones
What structure are excitatory synapses
asymmetric
Structure of inhibitory synapases
symmetric
What are the amino acid neurotransmitters
glutamate, GABA, glycine
What are the amine neurotransmitters
ACh, noradrenaline
What are the peptide neurotransmitters
substance P
What do amine neurotransmitters regulate
nervous system
Which neurotransmitters are in synaptic vesicles
amino acids, amines
Which neurotransmitters are dense core secretory vesicles
peptide neurotransmitters
Where are synaptic vesicles sythesised
soma
What do synaptic vesicles require to load neurotransmitter
ATP
What are synaptic vesicles transported along
axon
Where are dense core secretory vesicles synthesised
ER
What are DSC vesicles transported along
microtubules
What triggers vesicle fusion
Ca2+
How are vesicles released
exocytosis
What are SNAREs crucial for
exocytosis
What are SNAREs
proteins
What is BOTOX
bacterial toxin
What does BOTOX block
synatpic neurotransmission
What does BOTOX destroy
SNARE proteins
What is the function of synaptotagmin
binds to calcium, causes vesicle fusion
How are neurotransmitters removed from the synaptic cleft
diffusion, re-uptake, enzymatic destruction
What is quantal release
mini response at post synaptic cell from synaptic vesicle
What is quantal size
effect of one vesicle being released
Using which receptor is synaptic transmission slower
GPCRs
Which receptor can induce signal amplification
GPCRs - metabotropic
