Cholinergics Flashcards
cholinergic agonist may also be called
Parasympathomimetic
Cholinergic receptors
nicotinic (ganglionic & NMJ; CNS also)
muscarinic (all over; mostly smooth muscle & glands)
Parasympathomimetic vs cholinergic agonists
Parasympathomimetic: primarily at muscarinic
cholinergic agonist: can act at NMJ (nicotinic) as well without being a parasympathomimetic
Anticholinesterase/Cholinesterase antagonist
Cholinesterase: breaks down ACh
increases duration of ACh in synapse
acts as cholinergic agonist/cholinomimetic
ACh is the primary NT in…
the parasymp. NS
Where is ACh found?
post synaptic jxn sites
muscarinic receptors
nicotinic receptors (NM system)
preganglionic sites:
nicotinic & muscarinic receptors of the ganglia
ACh synthesis location
in the cholinergic nerve terminal cytoplasm
ACh synthesis process
Choline Acetyltransferase (ChAT) on the precursors choline (Ch) and acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA)
acetylate choline = ACh
Choline is provided mainly through
reuptake
via high-affinity Na co-transport pumps
on nerve terminal membrane
requires energy & Na
Choline that cannot be reuptaken/reused
___% is able to be repackaged
escapes reuptake carriers and is lost
metabolism to lesser extent
80%
De Novo synthesis
De Novo: “from scratch”
makes up for the 20% choline loss
Where do we get the materials for De Novo synthesis?
primarily choline-containing phospholipids
(internal & external membranes of cellular structures; ie terminal)
phosphatidylcholine
stripped from membrane
converted to choline
choline used to make ACh
Acetyl-CoA is synthesized from
pyruvate or acetate
acetylating coenzyme A in mitochondria
Limitations of De Novo synthesis
unable to produce enough Ch to keep up with transmitter needs
only provides enough Ch to make up for amounts lost in the synapse/not brought back via re-uptake
Acetylcholine (ACh) Release
released first on nerve terminal depolarization
non-vesicular released first
then vesicular ACh
Newly synthesized ACh exists in…
the cytoplasm
can be in vesicles, in pools, or in storage attached to other compounds
T/F
Vesicular ACh is the first ACh that can act in the synapse.
False
non-vesicular, as this is released first
Vesicles contain ___ quanta. 1 quanta contains…
1 vesicle = 1 quanta
1 quanta = 5,000 – 50,000 molecules of ACh
other compounds in here as well
vesicles are produced in…
the nerve terminal mainly
Hwo do we package the ACh into vesicles?
ACh is taken from cytoplasm & transported across the neurotransmitter vesicle membrane by a carrier-mediated process
What happens when the action potential reaches the nerve terminal?
Calcium channels open:
depolarizes nerve terminal
calcium into cytoplasm
↓
triggers a much larger calcium release from the sarcoplasm.
↓
vesicles fuse with the inner wall of the nerve terminal
↓
exocytosis
normal amount of ACh released on a single stimulation
several hundred vesicles
aka millions of ACh molecules
(5k – 50k molecules of ACh per vesicle)
can disrupt ACh release
Hemicholinium-3 (HC-3): eventually depletes ACh
Vesamicol: cannot package ACh
Botulinium Toxin (BoTox): irreversible inhibition of ACh release
Black Widow Spider Venom: overstimulates → depletion