PSYCH261 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2.2: Guanosine Triphosphate, Acetyl-Coa, Anterior Pituitary
2 Mar 2019
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Psych 261 - module 2. 2: chemical events at the synapse. Discovered that stimulating one nerve released something that inhibited an organ and stimulating a diff. nerve released something that increased heart rate. An experiment by loewi: concluded that nerves send messages by releasing chemicals. Neurotransmitters: chemicals that the neuron releases at a synapse. Amino acids: acids containing an amine group. Monoamines: chemicals formed by a change in certain amino acids. Acetylcholine: chemical similar to an amino acid. Most neurotransmitters are synthesized in the presynaptic terminal, near point of release the presynaptic terminal: stores high concentrations of neurotransmitter molecules in vesicles (tiny, spherical packets) Depolarization opens voltage-dependent calcium gates in presynaptic terminal. After calcium enters the terminal, it causes exocytosis (bursts of release of neurotransmitter from the presynaptic neuron) After its release from the presynaptic cell, neurotransmitter diffuses across synaptic clegt to the postsynaptic membrane where it attaches to a receptor.
