BIOL 1F25 Lecture Notes - Chemical Synapse, Axon Terminal, Growth Cone
19 May 2013
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Document Summary
Metabolite of vitamin a; known to be important for development (including the nervous system) and regeneration. Retinoic acid when puffed on induces growth cone turning towards it. Retinoic acid is not water soluble; needs to be dissolved in a solvent e. g. ethanol. Summary: axonal growth cone is the precursor to the pre-synaptic terminal of the synapse; when it reaches its correct target, a synapse is formed. One neuron can make an average of ~1000 synapses; may receive as many as 10,000. Ap arrives at synaptic terminal; opens channel in membrane that allow calcium to enter axon terminal; calcium is the trigger for transmitter release form the axon terminal. Synaptic vesicles containing chemicals (neurotransmitters) move to membrane and fuse with membrane to release chemicals. Chemicals move (diffuse) across synaptic cleft and bind to receptors on post-synaptic cell; binding to receptors generate a small electrical message in post-synaptic cell. Transmitter removal: enzymes or carriers that transport back into terminal.
