VIVA: Physiology - Nerve and muscle cell, and nervous system physiology Flashcards
Draw a skeletal muscle action potential
- need correct shape, axes, resting membrane potentials and durations (+/- 25%)
What is the sequence of events in the contraction of a skeletal muscle fibre, starting at the motor-end plate?
6/10 to pass:
1. Activation of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels in presynaptic membrane
2. Ca2+ influx into the cell
3. Exocytosis of preformed ACh into synaptic cleft
4. Diffusion of ACh across synaptic cleft
5. Binding of ACh to post-synaptic nicotinic receptor
6. Increased Na+ and K+ conductance in end-plate membrane of muscle
7. Generation of end-plate potential
8. Generation of action potential in muscle fibres
9. Inward spread of depolarisation along T tubules
10. Release of Ca2+ from terminal cisterns of sarcoplasmic reticulum, and diffusion to thick and thin filaments
11. Binding of Ca2+ to troponin C, uncovering myosin-binding sites on actin
12. Actin-myosin binding and sliding of thin on thick filaments, producing movement
What is the sequence of events in the relaxation of a skeletal muscle fibre?
- Ca2+ pumped back into sarcoplasmic reticulum*
- Release of Ca2+ from troponin C
- Cessation of interaction between actin and myosin*
- needed to pass
Describe the synthesis of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction
- Acetylcholine is synthesised in the pre-synaptic terminal and stored in synaptic vesicles along with ATP and proteoglycan, until required for synaptic neuronal transmission
- Acetyl CoenzymeA + choline* is catalysed by the enzyme choline acetyltransferase to form acetylcholine
- needed to pass
Once acetylcholine is released into the synaptic cleft, how is its effect terminated?
ACh removed from synaptic cleft by acetylcholinesterase -> broken down into acetate and choline
Choline reuptake into the presynaptic nerve terminal
Acetate to liver and metabolised
Draw a nerve action potential and indicate the sequence of events that occur
Dependent on changes in Na+ and K+ conductance:
1. When a depolarising stimulus occurs, the voltage-gated Na+ channels * become active and Na+ enters the cell
2. When the threshold potential* is reached, the voltage-gated Na+ channels overwhelm the K+ channels
3. Entry of Na+ causes opening of more voltage-gated Na+ channels and further depolarisation (positive feedback loop), resulting in the upstroke of action potential
4. The membrane potential moves close to the equilibrium potential for Na+ (+60mV)
5. The voltage-gated Na+ channels then enter an inactivated state for a few milliseconds before returning to the resting state
6. Reversal of membrane potential limiting further Na+ influx, and opening of voltage-gated K+ channels results in repolarisation* and end of action potential
7. Slow return of K+ channels results in hyperpolarisation
8. Returns to resting membrane potential
Describe the sequence of events that leads to release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction
- Impulse arrives at the motor neuron ending which causes voltage-gated calcium channels* to open
- Influx of calcium triggers release of acetylcholine into the synaptic cleft
What happens to acetylcholine after release into the synaptic cleft?
- When vesicle releases ACh into the synaptic cleft, it is rapidly broken down into acetate and choline by the enzyme acetylcholinesterase
- Choline is actively transported back into the presynaptic terminal to be re-used
- ACh binds to nicotinic receptors on the motor end-plate leading to Na+ entry and a subsequent depolarising end-plate potential
Define resting membrane potential of a neuron
The potential difference* across the cell at rest, with inside negative relative to outside
Normal RMP of a neuron is -70mV
Explain how the resting membrane potential of a neuron is generated
The gradients are actively maintained by Na+ / K+ ATPase*
Na+ / K+ ATPase actively pumps Na+ out and K+ into the cell using ATPase for energy
Na+ then passively flows back into the cell via channels down its concentration gradient, and K+ passively flows out of cell via K+ channels down its concentration gradient
At rest, there are more open K+ channels than Na+ channels, so the passive permeability to K+ is greater (hence why RMP of neuron is close to equilibrium potential for K+)
- needed to pass + concept of Na+ in and K+ out with passive flow in opposite direction
Why is a cell more excitable in hyperkalaemia?
RMP moves closer to threshold potential for eliciting an action potential (becomes less negative on inside of cell)
What factors affect cerebral blood flow?
3/5 to pass:
- MAP at brain level
- MVP at brain level
- ICP
- Viscosity of the blood
- Local constriction/dilatation of cerebral arterioles
What is the mechanism of the Cushing response?
Increased ICP results in decreased CBF
Ischaemia of vasomotor centre increases sympathetic nervous system output
BP increases, which stimulates baroreceptors to produce vagal response that decreases HR and RR
What is the Monro-Kellie doctrine?
The sum of the volume of blood (75ml), CSF (75ml) and brain (1400g) in the cranium must be relatively constant
An increase in one should cause a reciprocal decrease in either one or both of the remaining two
Negative effects on these therefore if addition intracranial volume (e.g. SDH/EDH) occurs
What is the pathogenesis of fever?
2 needed to pass + at least one of toxins and inflammatory pyrogens:
- Bacterial toxins (e.g. endotoxin) act on monocytes, macrophages, and Kupffer cells to produce cytokines that act as endogenous pyrogens
- Inflammatory endogenous pyrogens (IL-1, IL-6, IFN and TNF-a) can be independently produced to cause fever
- Cytokines can also be produced in the CNS and act directly on thermoregulation centres
- Acts on the circumventricular organs (e.g. OVLT) which activates the preoptic area of the hypothalamus causing release of prostaglandins -> resets the homeostatic set point resulting in a fever
What is the body’s response to hot and cold environments?
Mechanisms activated by cold* (posterior hypothalamus):
- Increasing heat production: shivering, hunger, voluntary activity, catecholamine release
- Decreasing heat loss: skin vasoconstriction, curling up, piloerection
Mechanisms activated by heat (anterior hypothalamus):
- Decreasing heat production: anorexia, apathy, inertia
- Increasing heat loss: cutaneous vasodilation, sweating, respiration
- need 1 mechanism for each of heat production and loss in hot and cold environment
What are upper motor neurons?
Upper motor neurons usually refer to corticospinal neurons that innervate spinal motor neurons* (also includes brainstem neurons that control spinal motor neurons)
- needed to pass
What clinical features are seen when upper motor neurons are injured?
Damage initially causes muscles to become weak and flaccid* but eventually leads to spasticity, hypertonia, hyperactive stretch reflexes* and abnormal plantar extensor reflex*
- 2 needed to pass
What is the physiological basis of clonus?
Loss of descending cortical input to inhibitory neurons called Renshaw cells, and therefore loss of inhibition of antagonist* muscle groups, resulting in repetitive sequential contractions of ankle flexors and extensors
- needed to pass
List the long term complications of spinal cord injury
2 to pass:
- Pressure ulcers
- Protein / muscle degradation
- Hypercalcaemia
- Renal stones (due to hypercalcaemia)
- Urinary tract infection
Describe the components of the stretch reflex
Monosynaptic reflex in which skeletal muscle is stretched with contraction of muscle as the response:
- Stretch receptor sensory neuron* makes an excitatory connection with the extensor motor neuron* of the same muscle, and an inhibitory interneuron projecting to the antagonistic muscle
- Sense organ is the muscle spindle, with impulses from the spindle transmitted to the spinal cord by fast sensory fibres passing directly to the motor neurons supplying the same muscle
- Neurotransmitter at the central synapse is glutamate
- Components include sensor (muscle spindle), afferent nerve, integrator (monosynapse on motor neuron), efferent nerve*, effector (intrafusal fibres)
*needed to pass
How is the stretch reflex different from the withdrawal reflex?
Withdrawal reflex is a polysynaptic reflex
Also has afferent and efferent limbs, but sensory organ is a nociceptor (responds to painful stimulus), and the central integrator consists of polysynaptic connections in the spinal cord* (i.e. one or more interneurons interposed between afferent and efferent neurons)
Efferent limbs are motor nerves to effector muscles on the ipsilateral and contralateral sides
Results in flexion and withdrawal of the ipsilateral limb*, and extension of the contralateral limb
- needed to pass
What is a typical example of a stretch reflex?
Knee jerk response
How does the body lose heat?
3 to pass:
- Radiation and conduction, mediated by vasodilation (70%)
- Vaporisation of sweat (27%)
- Respiration (2%)
- Urination and defecation (1%)
What are the body’s adaptive responses to cold environments?
3 to pass:
- Muscular: shivering, increased voluntary activity, curling up
- Vascular: vasoconstriction
- Increased noradrenaline and adrenaline secretion
- Hunger
- Horripilation
How does the body produce heat?
Basal metabolic processes*
Food intake
- needed to pass
What part of the brain controls the reflex responses activated by cold?
Posterior hypothalamus