BPK306 – Fall 2018 - Tutorial 3 Questions

1. Explain how the diameter of an axon influences velocity of conduction. (2 marks).

2. Action potentials, potentially, can travel in opposite (both) directions. Give and clearly
explain two reasons why, once an AP fires, it travels unidirectionally. (2 marks).

3. How, specifically, does myelination contribute to the conduction velocity of an axon?

What type of conduction is evident in myelinated axons containing nodes of Ranvier? (3
marks)
4. Describe, generally, the structural differences between a voltage-gated ion channel and a
ligand-gated ion channel. (3 marks)

5. Ligand-gated receptors can operate mechanistically in one of two major ways, describe the
general function of these two classes and name one receptor that uses each of the two
mechanisms. (4 marks)

6. Given the following table for ionic concentrations in the ICF and ECF for a particular cell,
calculate the reversal potentials for Na+, K+ and Cl-.
Ion ECF ICF P
K+ 5 mM 150 mM 1
+
Na 145 mM 15 mM 0.03
Cl- 120 mM 10 mM 0.1
2+
Ca 1 mM 0.0001 ~0

7. Use the values in the table above to calculate the RMP of the cell.