Physiology 4700A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Connexin, Axon Terminal, Small Molecule

• School: Western University
• Department: Physiology
• Course: Physiology 4700A/B
• Professor: Tim Renault

Document Summary

Recall: when we talk about neuronal communication we could be talking about: one neuron communicating with another neuron, one neuron communicating with a gland, one neuron secreting a hormone into bloodstream, one neuron communicating with a muscle. So whatever that end target, that is what the neurotransmitter being released is going to act on. The way that the neurotransmitter interacts with the end target is through a receptor. That receptor when activated can either open ion channels or can have protein-protein interactions that can lead to ion channels opening or transcription of mrna and translation of proteins. Communication junction between a neuron and either another neuron or a muscle or gland cell (basically an effector target) Chemical signals (neurotransmitters) released from axon terminal and bind to receptors on adjacent cell. Stimulates physiological change (usually change in membrane potential) in the recipient cell. Chemical: secretion of neurotransmitters, activates receptors, > 100 transmitter types.