CAS BI 108 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Temporal Lobe, Hypothalamus, Body Awareness
25 Apr 2016
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Oneclass. comtopics: neurotransmitters and receptors, electrical synapses, well-known transmitters. The action potential spreads directly from presynaptic to postsynaptic cell. Ions and small molecules pass directly through these pores: disadvantages: Electrical continuity between neurons does not allow temporal summation of synaptic inputs: requires large contact area between presynaptic and postsynaptic cells. Image of nitric oxide in a slice of salamander retina: ionotropic vs. metabotropic receptors, after neurotransmitters are released into the synaptic cleft, they diffuse until they reach the postsynaptic membrane. There, they bind with either ionotropic or metabotropic receptors. Both are ligand-gated transmembrane proteins: ionotropic receptors: transmembrane ion channels that open or close. Transmembrane molecules can open or close a channel to allow smaller particles to travel in or out of the cell -- more specifically, different ions. Generally limited to k+, na+, cl- and ca2: generally closed until another small molecule/ligand (in this case, a neurotransmitter) binds to the receptor.
