Lectures 4-5 : Synapse Flashcards
where does an electrical synapse occur?
gap junction
what proteins form a gap junction channel? what are they made of?
- 2 connexons
- 6 connexins for a connexon
what flows through a gap junction?
materials such as small molecules, or ions
there is a current that passes equally well on both sides
what does an AP become in a gap junction?
PSP - postsynaptic potential
what is unique about gap junction synapses?
they are bi directional
where are gap junctions most commonly located? what are the cells that form gap junctions called?
glial cells or areas where synchronization is important
electrically coupled
how could a PSP trigger an action potential?
PSPs are small about 1mV, therefore several PSPs are needed to strongly excite a cell
where does a chemical synapse occur?
the synaptic cleft
what are membrane differentiations?
dense accumulation of proteins on wither side of the synaptic cleft
what are the types of membrane differentiations?
- active zones
- postsynaptic density
what is the active zone?
area on presynaptic cell at which neurotransmitter is released
what is the post synaptic density?
contains receptors which turn the chemical signal to electrical signals
NT –> AP
what is the synaptic vesicle?
membrane delineated vesicles that contain NT
signal conversation pathway?
types of synapses axons can have?
what is a specialized synapse?
neuromuscular junction
what occurs at a neuromuscular junction synapse?
neuron terminates on motor end-plate of muscle fiber - very reliable and fast transmission
they are large
acronym for NT release pathway?
S - synthesis
R - release
A - action
T - termination
what happens to vesicles when NT are released?
vesicles fuse with membrane and release contents into the cleft
what are the two types of vesicles? what do they store?
clear = small molecules
dark = large molecules
what is dales principle?
for neurotransmitter synthesis pathways, neuron only contains the enzymes necessary to synthesize that neurotransmitter but none of the subsequent enzymes needed to convert it into later products
what is the exception to dales prinicple?
many peptide-containing neurons can release a neurotransmitter along with a peptide
co transmitters
- can release 2 or more neurotransmitters simontaneaously
what are the 3 types of NT? what are the NTs they produce?
1) Amino acids
- GABA, Glycine
2) Amines
- monoamines: serotonin/5- HT, acetylcholine
- Catecholines: dopamine - norepinephrine
epinephrine
3) Peptides
how does the release of a peptide differ?
- cells needs to be stimulates more – it takes more Ca to
trigger the release - Ca channels are much closer to vesicles