Cellular Neurobiology

Abstract
Cellular Neurobiology is the study of the brain from a cellular perspective.
This includes morphology and physiological properties of single neurons.
Cellular neuroscience examines the various types of neurons, the functions
of different neurons, and the influence of neurons upon each other, how
neurons work together. The cellular basis for the nervous system lies in two
classes of cells; Neurons and Glia. Neuronal cells function as the information
processing and transfer cells, while glial cells are generally considered
support cells. A neuron has all organelles present in it as in a typical cell.
When a neuron is not sending a signal, it is at rest. The inside of the neuron
is negative relative to the outside. At rest, potassium ions (K+) can cross
through the membrane easily. At rest, chloride ions (Cl-) and sodium ions
(Na+) have a more difficult time crossing. The resting membrane potential of
a neuron is about -70 mV, means that the inside of the neuron is 70 mV less
than the outside. At rest, there are relatively more sodium ions outside the
neuron and more potassium ions inside that neuron. This occurs when a
neuron sends information down an axon, away from the cell body. The action
potential is an explosion of electrical activity that is created by a depolarizing
current. When the depolarization reaches about -55 mV a neuron will fire an
action potential called threshold. If the neuron does not reach this critical
threshold level, then no action potential will fire. Also, when the threshold
level is reached, an action potential of a fixed sized will always fire, this is
called ”All or None law”. For any given neuron, the size of the action potential
is always the same.
Neurotransmitters, also known as chemical messengers, are endogenous
chemicals that enable neurotransmission. They are stored in synaptic
vesicles in synapses into the synaptic cleft, where they are received by
neurotransmitter receptors on the target cells. Their exact numbers are
unknown, but more than 100 chemical messengers have been uniquely
identified. A neurotransmitter acts in only one of two ways: A
neurotransmitter influences trans-membrane ion flow either to increase
(excitatory) or to decrease (inhibitory) the probability that the cell with
which it comes in contact will produce an action potential. Specific
applications of cellular neuroscience include the mechanisms that produce
the symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's or
Alzheimer's.