Week One Flashcards
Name the two major types of cells of the nervous system
Neurons & glia
Neurons can manipulate _____ _____ more quickly than other cells can
Electrical activity
True or false: the main function of a neuron is communication via electrochemical signals
True
The _____ is where specialized communication between neurons takes place via _____
Synapse & neurotransmitters
True or false: neurons are not polarized
False
The flow of information within a neuron is GENERALLY _____ —> _____ —> _____
Dendrite —> axon —> synapse
Microtubules run from - —> +, where the cell body is negative/positive (choose one) and the synapse is negative/positive (choose one)
Negative, positive
Kinesin is a +/- (pick one) while dyenin is a +/- (pick one) directed motor. Myosin motors are _____ dependent
+, -, actin
True or false: molecular motors only travel along axons
False
Name the three main types of glia in the CNS
- Microglia
- Oligodendrocytes
- Astroglia
In addition to forming the myelin sheath, oligodendrocytes help to _____ the axon
Nourish
Astrocytes are the most abundant type of glia. Name the six main functions they provide
- Scaffolding between neurons
- Creates the barrier within the BBB
- Help filter waste
- Modulate synapse via uptake of neurotransmitters
- Give neurons nutrients
- Provide pH of the environment
Microglia are the _____ cells of the nervous system
Immune
Microglia have direct/indirect effects on brain activity via their _____ signals
Direct, immune
Name the 5 primary ways we stain fixed tissue samples
- Golgi staining
- Intracellular fluorescent dye injection
- Intracellular enzymatic labeling
- Nissl staining
- Cresyl violent stains
Golgi staining labels _____ _____
Individual neurons
Nissl staining labels the _____ of cells
Nucleus
Cresyl staining labels the _____ in the _____ of all cells
RNA & ER
Does immunohistochemistry label cells in a culture or a fixed slice of tissue?
Fixed slice of tissue
Does immunocytochemistry label cells in a culture or a fixed slice of tissue?
Cells in a culture
Indirect immunolabeling uses one/two (choose one) antibodies while direct immunolabeling uses one/two (choose one) antibodies
Two, one
Genetic expression of _____ _____ allows for scientists to observe specific cells in living organisms
Fluorescent proteins
True or false: Retrograde circuit tracing can be done in fixed tissue or a live organism
False (can only be done in live organism)
A patch clamp records the activity of many/one (choose one) neurons
One
