Synaptic physiology II
Objectives 1. Explain the concept of a chemical neurotransmitter and its receptor. 2. Describe the mechanism of neurotransmission at the neuromuscular junction. 3. List the major classes of neurotransmitters and…
Synaptic physiology I
Objectives 1. Describe the structure and function of electrical synapses. 2. Describe the structure of a representative chemical synapse. 3. Explain the quantal nature of neurotransmitter release. 4. Describe the…
Active transport
Objectives 1. Explain how the Na + pump uses energy from ATP to keep [Na + ] i low and [K + ] i high by transporting Na + and…
Passive solute transport
Objectives 1. Explain how the distribution of lipids and proteins in the cell membrane influences the membrane permeability to hydrophobic and hydrophilic solutes and ions. 2. Differentiate the following mechanisms…
Electrochemical potential energy and transport processes
Objectives 1. Recognize that concentration gradients and electrical potential gradients store chemical and electrical potential energy, respectively. 2. Recognize that electrochemical potential energy drives all transport processes. 3. Use the…
Generation and propagation of the action potential
Objectives 1. Describe the properties of the voltage clamp, and explain why it is useful for the study of ion channels. 2. Describe the properties of voltage-gated Na + and…
Passive electrical properties of membranes
Objectives 1. Define passive membrane electrical properties as those due to parameters that are constant near the resting potential of the cell. 2. Explain why membranes behave, electrically, like a…
Ion channel diversity
Objectives 1. Compare and contrast the properties of voltage-gated Ca 2+ and Na + channels. 2. Describe the mechanism of action of Ca 2+ antagonist drugs, and describe their use…
Ion channels
Objectives 1. Describe how ion channels function as gated, water-filled pores that selectively increase the permeability of the membrane to certain ions. 2. Describe the function of the selectivity filter…
Electrical consequences of ionic gradients
Objectives 1. Recognize that the movement of ions can generate an electrical potential difference across a membrane. 2. Define the concept of the equilibrium potential and apply the Nernst equation…
