The Chemical Synapse

Question 1

What is the synapse

Answer 1

specialised gap region between apposing cell membranes

Question 2

What is synaptic transmission

Answer 2

process underlying cell-cell transfer of electrical signals

Question 3

What did Loewi discover

Answer 3

evidence neurons send information chemically

Question 4

What are the common features of a chemical synapse

Answer 4

mitochondria, cleft, extracellular proteins, pre, post synaptic cells

Question 5

Why do synapses have mitochondria

Answer 5

energy intensive process

Question 6

What are the two types of chemical synapse

Answer 6

neuron to non-neuronal, neuron to neuron

Question 7

Where are neuron to neuron synapses found

Answer 7

CNS

Question 8

What is the most common neuron-non-neuronal synapse

Answer 8

neuromuscular junction

Question 9

Where do neuron to non-neuronal synapses go

Answer 9

glands, smooth muscle, heart

Question 10

What neurotransmitter does the neuromuscular junction use

Answer 10

ACh

Question 11

What do motor neuron action potentials ALWAYS cause

Answer 11

muscle cell APs and contraction

Question 12

Where are synaptic vesicles found at the neuromuscular junction

Answer 12

active zone

Question 13

What are located at junctional folds on the neuromuscular junction

Answer 13

receptors

Question 14

Which neuron contains junctional folds

Answer 14

post synaptic

Question 15

What align on the neuromuscular junction

Answer 15

junctional folds with active zones

Question 16

Name some synaptic arrangements in the CNS

Answer 16

axondendritic, axosomatic, axoaxonic dendrodritic

Question 17

What is the function of axoaxonic synapses

Answer 17

regulate or gate transmission from one neuron to another

Question 18

What do larger synapses usually have more of

Answer 18

active zones

Question 19

What structure are excitatory synapses

Answer 19

asymmetric

Question 20

Structure of inhibitory synapases

Answer 20

symmetric

Question 21

What are the amino acid neurotransmitters

Answer 21

glutamate, GABA, glycine

Question 22

What are the amine neurotransmitters

Answer 22

ACh, noradrenaline

Question 23

What are the peptide neurotransmitters

Answer 23

substance P

Question 24

What do amine neurotransmitters regulate

Answer 24

nervous system

Question 25

Which neurotransmitters are in synaptic vesicles

Answer 25

amino acids, amines

Question 26

Which neurotransmitters are dense core secretory vesicles

Answer 26

peptide neurotransmitters

Question 27

Where are synaptic vesicles sythesised

Answer 27

soma

Question 28

What do synaptic vesicles require to load neurotransmitter

Answer 28

ATP

Question 29

What are synaptic vesicles transported along

Answer 29

axon

Question 30

Where are dense core secretory vesicles synthesised

Answer 30

ER

Question 31

What are DSC vesicles transported along

Answer 31

microtubules

Question 32

What triggers vesicle fusion

Answer 32

Ca2+

Question 33

How are vesicles released

Answer 33

exocytosis

Question 34

What are SNAREs crucial for

Answer 34

exocytosis

Question 35

What are SNAREs

Answer 35

proteins

Question 36

What is BOTOX

Answer 36

bacterial toxin

Question 37

What does BOTOX block

Answer 37

synatpic neurotransmission

Question 38

What does BOTOX destroy

Answer 38

SNARE proteins

Question 39

What is the function of synaptotagmin

Answer 39

binds to calcium, causes vesicle fusion

Question 40

How are neurotransmitters removed from the synaptic cleft

Answer 40

diffusion, re-uptake, enzymatic destruction

Question 41

What is quantal release

Answer 41

mini response at post synaptic cell from synaptic vesicle

Question 42

What is quantal size

Answer 42

effect of one vesicle being released

Question 43

Using which receptor is synaptic transmission slower

Answer 43

GPCRs

Question 44

Which receptor can induce signal amplification

Answer 44

GPCRs - metabotropic