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4 Neuron Structure and Function
4 Neuron Structure and Function
4
Neuron Structure
and Function
Figure 4.1
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Neural Zones
Signal conduction
▪ Axon (some wrapped in myelin sheath)
▪ AP travels down axon
Signal transmission
▪ Axon terminals
▪ Release of neurotransmitter
Figure 4.2
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Electrical Signals in Neurons
Figure 4.3
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Membrane Potential
RT PK [ K + ]o + P Na [ Na + ]o + P Cl [Cl − ]i
Em = ln
F PK [ K + ]i + PNa [ Na + ]i + PCl [Cl − ]o
+ + −
RT P [ K ] + P [ Na ] + P [Cl ]i
Em = ln K
+
o Na
+
o Cl
−
F PK [ K ]i + PNa [ Na ]i + PCl [Cl ]o
Em = membrane potential
R = gas constant
T = temperature (Kelvin)
F = Faraday’s constant
Px = relative permeability of ion
[X] = ion concentration outside or inside membrane
+ + −
RT P [ K ] + P [ Na ] + P [Cl ]i
Em = ln K
+
o Na
+
o Cl
−
F PK [ K ]i + PNa [ Na ]i + PCl [Cl ]o
Figure 4.4
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Signals in the Dendrites and Cell Body
▪ Incoming signal
▪ Example: neurotransmitter
▪ Membrane-bound receptors bind to
neurotransmitter
▪ Receptors transduce the chemical signal to an
electrical signal by changing ion permeability of
membrane
▪ Change in ion permeability causes change in
membrane potential (graded potential)
Figure 4.5
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Graded Potentials Travel Short Distances
Figure 4.6
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Action Potentials Travel Long Distances
Figure 4.7
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Integration of Graded Signals
▪ Spatial summation
▪ Graded potentials from different sites influence the net
change
▪ Temporal summation
▪ Graded potentials that occur at slightly different times
influence net change
Figure 4.8
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Temporal Summation
Figure 4.9
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Graded Potentials vs. Action Potentials
Table 4.1
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Action Potentials (AP)
Figure 4.10
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Voltage-Gated Channels
Figure 4.10
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Ion Movement
▪ Activation gate
▪ Voltage dependent
▪ Opens when membrane reaches threshold
▪ Inactivation gate
▪ Time-dependent
▪ Closes after brief time
Figure 4.11
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Voltage-Gated Channels and the AP
Figure 4.12
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Action Potentials Travel Long Distances
▪ “All-or-none”
▪ Occurs or does not occur
▪ All APs are same magnitude
▪ Self propagating
▪ An AP triggers the next AP in adjacent areas of
membrane without degradation
▪ Electronic current spread
▪ Charge spreads along membrane
▪ Regenerative cycle
▪ Ion entry → electronic current spread → triggering
of AP
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Action Potentials Travel Long Distances
Figure 4.13
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Myelination
▪ Nodes of Ranvier
▪ Areas of exposed axonal membrane between Schwann
cells
▪ Internodes
▪ The myelinated region
▪ Saltatory conduction
▪ APs “leap” from node to node
▪ APs occur at nodes of Ranvier, and electrotonic
current spread through internodes
▪ This type of conduction is very rapid
Figure 4.14
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Unidirectional Signals
Figure 4.15
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The Synapse
Figure 4.16
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Amount of Neurotransmitter Released
Figure 4.17
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Postsynaptic Cells
Figure 4.18a
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Functional Classes of Neurons
Figure 4.18b
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Structural Classes of Neurons
Multipolar
▪ Many dendrites
▪ One axon
Bipolar
▪ One dendrite (may have branches)
▪ One axon
Unipolar
▪ Single process extending from cell body
▪ May split to form afferent and efferent branches
Figure 4.18c
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Glial Cells
▪ Microglia
▪ Remove debris and dead cells from CNS
▪ Ependymal cells
▪ Line fluid-filled cavities of CNS
Figure 4.19
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Diversity of Signal Conduction
Table 4.2
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Channel Density
Table 4.3
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Cable Properties of Axons
Voltage (V)
▪ Difference in electrical potential
Resistance (R)
▪ Rorce opposing flow of electrical current
Ohm’s law: V = I R
Figure 4.20a
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Cable Properties of Axons
Figure 4.20b,c
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Voltage Decreases with Distance
= rm /( ri + r ) o = rm / ri
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Length Constant () of Axons
= rm /( ri + r ) o = rm / ri
Figure 4.21
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and the Speed of Conduction
Capacitance
▪ Quantity of charge needed to create a potential
difference between two surfaces of a capacitor
Depends on three features of the capacitor:
▪ Material properties
▪ Generally the same in cells (lipid bilayer)
▪ Area of two conducting surfaces
▪ Larger area increases capacitance
▪ Thickness of insulating layer
▪ Greater thickness decreases capacitance
Figure 4.23
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Giant Axons
Figure 4.24
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Giant Axons Have High Conduction Speed
= rm / ri
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Axon Diameter and the Length Constant
Figure 4.25
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Myelinated Neurons in Vertebrates
Figure 4.26
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Electrical and Chemical Synapses
Electrical synapse Chemical synapse
Fast Slow
Bi-directional Unidirectional
Figure 4.27
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Neurotransmitters
Characteristics of neurotransmitters
▪ Synthesized in neurons
▪ Released at presynaptic cell following
depolarization
▪ Bind to a postsynaptic receptor and cause an effect
Table 4.4
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Neurotransmitter Action
Inhibitory neurotransmitters
▪ Cause hyperpolarization of membrane
▪ Inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP)
▪ Make postsynaptic cell less likely to generate
an AP
Excitatory neurotransmitters
▪ Cause depolarization of membrane
▪ Excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP)
▪ Make postsynaptic cell more likely to generate
an AP
▪ Ionotropic receptors
▪ Ligand-gated ion
channels
▪ Fast
▪ Example: nicotinic
Ach receptor
Figure 4.28a
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Neurotransmitter Receptor Function
▪ Metabotropic receptors
▪ Receptor changes shape
▪ Formation of second
messenger
▪ Alters opening of ion
channel
▪ Slow
▪ May lead to long-term
changes via other cellular
functions
Figure 4.28b
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Receptors for Acetylcholine
Cholinergic receptors
▪ Nicotinic receptor
▪ Ionotropic
▪ Muscarinic receptor
▪ Metabotropic
▪ Linked to ion channel function via G-protein
Figure 4.29
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Receptors for Acetylcholine
Table 4.5
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Receptors for Norepinephrine
▪ Adrenergic receptors
▪ Alpha ()
▪ Several isoforms
▪ Metabotropic
▪ Linked to ion channel function via G-protein
▪ Beta ()
▪ Several isoforms
▪ Metabotropic
▪ Linked to ion channel function via G-protein
Figure 4.31
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Adrenergic Receptors
Table 4.6
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Synaptic Plasticity
Figure 4.32
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Evolution of Neurons