CMD 377 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Resting Potential, Axon Terminal, Neurotransmission

• School: URI
• Department: Communicative Disorders
• Course: CMD 377
• Professor: Kim Mikyong

Document Summary

Cells specialize for sending and receiving signals: 2 mechanisms for conveying info: Soma: cell body: integrates electrical signals, supports the metabolic needs of the rest of the neuron. Dendrites: receive information from other neurons via synaptic contacts. Axon: single, cylindrical fiber: conduct information away from the cell body to other neurons, may be myelinated or unmyelinated, axon terminals (synaptic endings) form synapses on other neurons. Cytoplasm: fluid within the cell body: contains chemical substances involved in transmission b/w cells. Determined by the number of processes in the particular neuron. Unipolar: one process which divides into the receiving and conducting part. Multipolar: most common type: multiple dendritic projections (large receptive area) Unequal ion concentration across the cell membrane causes electrical potential different: -70mv resting membrane potential (negative inside the cell) The loss of polarity inside and outside the membrane (depolarization) decreases the resting membrane potential. At the critical firing rate (-50mv membrane potential) change in the membrane permeability.