Basic Functions of Synapses, Transmitter Substances

Impulses are transmitted from one nerve cell to another cell at synapses. These are the junctions where the axon or some other portion of one cell (presynaptic cell) terminates on the dendrites, some or axon of another neuron (postsynatic cell)

Types of synapses:
A. Anatomic

axo-somatic 5 to ! per cent axo-axonal axo-dendritic "! to #" per cent

$. %h&siolo'ic
(functional) (hemical )lectrical

Chemical synapse the first neuron secretes at its nerve endin' s&napse a chemical su*stance called a neurotransmitter (transmitter su*stance) and this transmitter in turn

the& alwa&s transmit si'nals in one direction , form the neuron that secretes the transmitter su*stance (pres&naptic neuron) to the neuron on which the transmitter acts (posts&naptic neuron) Principle of one-way conduction

Electrical synapse characteri+ed *& direct open fluid channels that conduct electricit& from one cell to the next

often transmits si'nals in either direction

,echanism *& -hich an Action %otential (auses Transmitter .elease from the %res&naptic Terminals Role of Calcium Ions Action of the Transmitter /u*stance on the %osts&naptic 0euron 1unction of 2.eceptor %roteins)

Components Of The Postsynaptic Receptor Proteins

3. $indin' (omponent protrudes outward from the mem*rane into the s&npatif cleft . Ionophore (omponents T&pes4 Ion (hannel (ation channels most often allows sodium ion to pass Anion channels allows mainl& chloride to pass

/econd ,essen'er Activator 1our (han'es that can occur4 a. 5penin' specific ion channels throu'h the posts&naptic cell mem*rane *. Activation of c&clic adenosine monophosphate (cA,%) pr c&clic 'uanosine monophsphate (c6,%) om the neruonal cells c. Activation of one or more intracellular en+&mes d. Activation of 'ene transcription

Excitatory or Inhibitory Receptors in the Postsynaptic Membrane

3. )xcitation

5penin' of sodium channels to allow lar'e num*er of positive electrical char'es to flow to the interior of the posts&naptic cells 7epressed conduction throu'h chloride of potassium channels or *oth 8arious chan'es in the internal meta*olism of the psots&naptic neuron 5penin' of chloride ion channels throu'h the posts&naptic neuronal mem*rane Increase in conductance of potassium ions out of the neuron Activation of receptor en+&mes

. Inhi*ition

Chemical Substances That Function as Synaptic Transmitter

/mall-,olecule .apidl& Actin' Transmitter

s&nthesi+ed in the c&tosol of the pres&naptic terminal continuall& rec&cled and used over and over a'ain

0europeptides

not s&nthesi+ed in the c&tosol of the pres&naptic terminals, instead the& are s&nthesi+ed as inte'ral parts of lar'eprotein molecules *& ri*osomes in the neuronal cell *od&

Electrical Events urin! "euronal Excitation

9.estin' ,em*rane %otential of the 0euronal /oma (-:5mv

)ffect of /&naptic )xcitation on the %osts&naptic ,em*rane )xcitator& %osts&naptic %otential

Transmitter acts on the mem*rane to increase the membrane permeability to sodium thus the mem*rane potential increases from :5 to ;5 mv The positive increase in volta'e to less ne'ative value is called excitatory postsynaptic potential (or EPSP) or + ! m" #hreshold for excitation of neuron is a*out $%& m"

Electrical Events urin! "euronal Inhibition

)ffect of Inhi*itor& /&napses on the %osts&naptic ,em*raneInhi*itor& %osts&naptic %otential The inhi*itor& s&npases open mainl& chloride channels, allowin' passa'e of chloride ions 5penin' of potassium channels will allow positivel& char'ed potassium ions to move to the exterior - 'oth chloride influx and potassium efflux increase the de'ree of intracellular ne'ativit& which called hyperpolari(ation ,em*rane potential is <! mv, 5mv

Types of Synaptic Inhibition

3. %osts&naptic . %res&naptic

caused *& release of an inhi*itor& su*stance onto the outsides of the pres&naptic nerve fi*rils inhi*itor& transmitter su*stance is 6A$A

=. .enshaw cell inhi*ition

2/patial /ummation> in 0eurons

Threshold for 1irin'

3! to ! milivolt is normall& re?uired to reach threshold for excitation transmitter su*stance is released *& a sin'le terminal to cause an )%/% of !.5 to 3 millivolt /ummin' simultaneous posts&naptic potentials *& activatin' multiple terminals on widel& spaced areas of the neuronal mem*rane is called Spatial Summation

Temporal /ummation

/uccessive dischar'es from a sin'le pres&naptic terminal, can add to one another@ that is, the& summate The summated posts&naptic potential is excitator& *ut has not risen enou'h to reach the threshold for firin' *& the posts&naptic neuron. The neuron is said to *e facilitated

21acilitation> of 0eurons

Special Characteristics of Synaptic Transmission

3. 1ati'ue of s&naptic Transmission
,echanism of fati'ue4

Is mainl& exhaustion of the stores of transmitter su*stance in the pres&naptic terminals pro'ressive inactivation of posts&naptic mem*rane receptors slow development of a*normal concentrations of ions inside the posts&naptic neuronal cells

. )ffect of Acidosis or alAalosis on /&naptic Transmission

AlAalosis increases neuronal excita*ilit& Acidosis 'reatl& depresses neuronal activit&

=. )ffect of 7ru's on /&naptic Transmission

Increase neuronal excita*ilit& *& reducin' the threshold for excitation of neurons
B

B theoph&lline B theo*romine

caffeine

;. /&naptic 7ela& a*out !.5 millisecond

Increase neuronal excita*ilit& *& inhi*itin' the action of some normall& inhi*itor& transmitter su*stances especiall& inhi*itor& effect of *lycine in the spinal cord B /tr&chnine dischar'e of the transmitter su*stance *& the pres&naptic terminal diffusion of the transmitter to the posts&naptic neuronal mem*rane action of the receptor to increase the mem*rane permea*ilit& inward diffusion of sodium to raise the excitator& posts&naptic potential to a hi'h enou'h level to elicit an action potential