Chapter 2, part 3

Question 1

What is a dendritic spine?

Answer 1

A small protrusion on the surface of the dendrite with which a terminal button of another neuron forms a synapse.

Question 2

What is the name of a small protrusion that is on the surface of a dendrite and with which a terminal button of another neuron forms a synapse?

Answer 2

Dendritic spine.

Question 3

What is a presynaptic membrane?

Answer 3

The membrane of a terminal button that lies adjacent to the post synaptic membrane and through which the NT is released.

Question 4

What is a membrane of a terminal button that lies adjacent to the post synaptic membrane and is where an NT is released?

Answer 4

Pre synaptic membrane

Question 5

The pre synaptic and post synaptic membranes of terminal buttons face each other over what space?

Answer 5

The synaptic cleft

Question 6

A meshwork of what structures keeps the pre and post synaptic membranes in alignment?

Answer 6

Filaments

Question 7

What is a synaptic vesicle?

Answer 7

A small beadlike structure found in terminal buttons that contain molecules of a neurotransmitter.

Question 8

What is the name of the small beadlike structure that can be found in terminal buttons and contains molecules of NT’s?

Answer 8

Synaptic vesicles

Question 9

______ proteins fill vesicles with the NTs and ______ proteins are involved in the release of NT/recycling of vesicles.

Answer 9

Transport, trafficking.

Question 10

What is the name of the region from which the NT is released?

Answer 10

The release zone.

Question 11

Which type of synaptic vesicle can be made either in the Golgi apparatus or from recycled material in the terminal button?

Answer 11

Small synaptic vesicles.

Question 12

Which type of synaptic vesicle can only be made in the soma of the neuron?

Answer 12

Large synaptic vesicles.

Question 13

What are specialized protein molecules that detect the presence of NTs in the synaptic cleft?

Answer 13

Receptors.

Question 14

What happens in all of the terminal buttons when an AP is conducted down an axon?

Answer 14

Small synaptic vesicles fuse with the presynaptic membrane and spill their contents into the synaptic cleft.

Question 15

What is accomplished when clusters of protein molecules attach to another protein molecule located in the pre synaptic membrane?

Answer 15

Docking.

Question 16

Which of the three pools of vesicles has vesicles docked against the inside of the presynaptic membrane, available to be released when an AP arrives?

Answer 16

Release-ready vesicles.

Question 17

Which of the pools of vesicles has 10 to 15% of vesicles, whom have already released contents before or whose membranes will fuse with the pre synaptic membrane?

Answer 17

Recycling vesicles.

Question 18

Which pool of vesicles makes up 85 to 90% of vesicles and will send vesicles to dock depending on the axon’s rate of firing?

Answer 18

Reserve vesicle pool.

Question 19

What are opened as a result of NT molecules diffusing across the synaptic cleft and attaching to postsynaptic receptors?

Answer 19

Neurotransmitter-dependent ion channels.

Question 20

What are the names of the two receptors that reflect direct and indirect means of NTs opening ion channels?

Answer 20

Ionotropic receptor and metabotropic receptor.

Question 21

The process of and the result of stimulating this chemical are similar to the ways that hormones work.

Answer 21

Second messenger.

Question 22

What is a G protein?

Answer 22

A protein paired with a metabotropic receptor. It sends messages to other molecules when an NT binds with and activates the receptor.

Question 23

What is paired with a metabotropic receptor and sends messages to alert to an NT binding with and activating the receptor?

Answer 23

G protein.

Question 24

What is the most important source of excitatory postsynaptic potentials?

Answer 24

NT-dependent sodium channel

Question 25

Describe reuptake.

Answer 25

The reentry of a NT just liberated by a terminal button back through its membrane, thus terminating the post synaptic potential.

Question 26

Describe enzymatic deactivation.

Answer 26

The destruction of a NT by an enzyme after its release. For example, the destruction of ACH by ACHesterase.

Question 27

Describe neural integration.

Answer 27

The process by which inhibitory and excitatory postsynaptic potentials summate and control the rate of firing of a neuron.

Question 28

Define autoreceptor.

Answer 28

A receptor molecule located on a neuron that responds to the NT released by that neuron.

Question 29

In most cases, are the effects of autoreceptor activation excitatory or inhibitory?

Answer 29

Inhibitory.

Question 30

Presynaptic inhibition and facilitation are actions of the terminal button in which type of synapse?

Answer 30

Axoaxonic synapse.

Question 31

Which presynaptic terminal action increases NT released and which decreases NT released?

Answer 31

Presynaptic facilitation increases NT release and presynaptic inhibition decreases NT release.

Question 32

What is a special junction between cells that permits direct communication by means of electrical coupling?

Answer 32

Gap junction

Question 33

What is a naturally secreted substance that acts like a NT except that it is not restricted to the synaptic cleft but diffuses through the extracellular fluid?

Answer 33

Neuromodulator

Question 34

What is a chain of amino acids joined together by peptide bonds, which make up most neuromodulators and some hormones?

Answer 34

Peptides.

Question 35

What is a hormone?

Answer 35

A chemical substance that is released by an endocrine gland that has effects on target cells in other organs.

Question 36

What is an endocrine gland?

Answer 36

A glad that liberates its secretions into the extracellular fluid around capillaries and hence into the bloodstream.

Question 37

What is a target cell?

Answer 37

A type of cell that is directly affected by a hormone or other chemical agent.

Question 38

What is a chemical of low molecular weight that is derived from cholesterol?

Answer 38

Steroid