Chapter 6 Electrophysiology of the cell membrane I - Ionic Basis of membrane Potential a.

. )Membrane Potentials Can be Measured by Use of Microelectrodes and Voltage Sensitive Dyes b.) Membrane Potential is generated by ion gradients c.) For mammalian cells, Nernst potentials for ions typically range from 100 mV for K+ to +100 mV for Ca2+ d.) Currents carried by ions across membranes depend on the concentration of ions on both sides of the membrane, the membrane potential, and the permeability of the membrane to each ion. e.) Membrane potential depends on ionic concentration gradients and permeabilities. II Electrical Model of a Cell Membrane a.) The cell membrane model includes various ionic conductances and electromotive forces in parallel with a capacitor. b.) The separation of relatively few charges across the bilayer capacitance maintains the membrane potential c.) Ionic current is directly proportional to the electrochemical driving force (Ohms law) d.) Capacitative current is proportional to the rate of voltage change. e.) A voltage clamp measures currents across cell membranes. f.) The patch-clamp technique resolves unitary currents through singlechannel molecules g.) Single-channel currents sum to produce macroscopic membrane currents h.) Single channels can fluctuate between open and closed states III Molecular Physiology of ion Channels a.) Classes of ion channels can be distinguished on the basis of electrophysiology, pharmacological and physiological ligands, intracellular messengers, and sequence homology b.) Many channels are formed by a radially symmetric arrangement of subunits or domains around a central pore c.) Gap junction channels are made up of two connexons, each of which has 6 identical subunits called connexins. d.) Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor channels are alpha-beta-gamma pentamers made up of four homoogous subunits e.) An evolutionary tree called a dendgram illustrates the relatedness of ion channels f.) Hydrophobic domains of channel proteins can predict how these proteins weave through membrane g.) Protein superfamilies, subfamilies, and subtypes are the structural bases of channel diversity

Chapter 7 Electrical Excitability and Action Potentials I Mechanisms of Nerve and Muscle Action Potentials a.) An action potential is a transient depolarization triggered by a depolarization beyond a threshold b.) In contrast to an action potential, a graded response is proportional to stimulus intensity and decays with distance along the axon c.) Excitation of a nerve or muscle depends on the product (strength x duration) of the stimulus and on the refractory period d.) The action potential arises from changes in membrane conductance to Na+ and K+ e.) The dependence of Na+ and K+ Currents f.) Voltage dependence of Na+ and K+ Currents g.) Macroscopic Na+ and K+ Currents result from the opening and closing of many Channels h.) The Hodgkin-Huxley model predicts macroscopic currents and the shape of the action potential II Physiology of voltage-gated channels and their relatives a.) A large superfamily of structurally related membrane proteins includes voltage-gated and related channels b.) Na+ channels generate the rapid initial depolarization of the action potential c.) Na+ channels are blocked by neurotoxins and local anesthetics d.) Ca2+ channels contribute to action potentials in some cells and also function in electrical and chemical coupling mechanisms. e.) Ca2+ channels are characterized as L-, T-,P/Q-,N-, and R-type channels on the basis of kinetic properties and inhibitor sensitivity f.) K+ channels determine resting potential and regulate the frequency and termination of action potentials g.) The Kv (or shaker-related) family of K+ channels mediates both the delayed outward recitifier current and the and the transient A-type current h.) Two families of KCa K+ channels mediate Ca2+ -activated K+ currents i.) The Kir K+ channels mediate inward rectifier K+ currents, and K2P channels may sense stress III Propagation of Action Potentials a.) The propagation of electrical signals in the nervous system involves current loops b.) Myelin improves the efficiency with which axons conduct action potentials c.) The cable proteins of the membrane and cytoplasm determine the velocity of signal propagation Chapter 8 Synaptic Transmission and the Neuromuscular Junction

I Mechanisms of Synaptic Transmission a.) Electrical continuity between cells is established by electrical or chemical synapses b.) Electrical synapses directly link the cytoplasm of adjacent cells c.) Chemical synapses use neurotransmitters to provide electrical continuity between adjacent cells d.) Neurotransmitters can activate ionotropic or metabotropic receptors II Synaptic Transmission at the Neuromuscular Junction a.) Neuromuscular junctions are specialized synapses between motor neurons and skeletal muscle b.) Acetylcholine activates nicotinic acetylcholine receptors to produse an excitatory end-plate c.) The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is a member of the pentameric Cysloop receptor family of ligand-gated ion channels d.) Miniature end-plate potentials reveal the quantal nature of transmitter release from the presynaptic terminals e.) Direct sensing of extracellular transmitter also shows quantal release of transmitter f.) Synaptic vesicles package, store, and deliver neurotransmitters g.) Neurotransmiter release occurs by exocytosis of synaptic vesicles h.) Re-uptake or cleavage of the neurotransmitter terminates its action II Toxins and Drugs Affecting Synaptic Transmission a.) Guanidinium neurotoxins such as tetrodotoxin prevent depolarization of the nerve terminal, wherease dendrotoxins inhibit repolarization b.) Contoxin blocks Ca2+ channels that mediate Ca2+ influx into nerve terminals, inhibiting synaptic transmission c.) Bacterial Toxins such as tetanus and botulinium toxins cleave proteins involved in exocytosis, preventing fusion of synaptic vesicles d.) Both agonists and antagonists of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor can prevent synaptic transmission e.) Inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase prolong and magnify the end-plate potential