Week 11 - Autonomic Nervous System (Neurotransmission)

Question 1

What is an excitatory synapse?

Answer 1

a synapse in which an action potential in a presynaptic neuron increases the probability of an action potential occuring in a postsynaptic cell

Question 2

What are nicotinic acetylcholine receptors?

Answer 2

ligand-gated ion channels that are activated by acetylcholine (ACh)

Question 3

What blocks nicotinic acetylcholine receptors?

Answer 3

hexamethonium

Question 4

What receptor does acetylcholine bind to at PN postganglionic synapses?

Answer 4

muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (MAChR)

Question 5

What kind of receptors are MAChR?

Answer 5

G-protein coupled receptors

Question 6

What are MAChR blocked by?

Answer 6

atropine (deadly nightshade)

Question 7

What are the two types of acetylcholine receptors?

Answer 7

nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR)

muscurinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR)

Question 8

How does the release of neurotransmitter differ between somatic and autonomic nerves?

Answer 8

somatic - specialised nerve endings that make direct contact with target (neuromuscular junction)

autonomic - post ganglionic neurons terminate in variscosities and neurotransmitter is released into the extracellular space