Chapter 4

Question 1

Where do most synapses occur on the neuron

Answer 1

The spines

Question 2

What type of neuron has a large number of dendritic spines

Answer 2

Pyramidal neurons

Question 3

True or False:

All synapses occur on the dendritic spine head and none occur on the dendritic spine neck

Answer 3

False

Question 4

What are the 3 shapes of dendritic spines

Answer 4

1. Thin
2. Mushroom
3. Stubby

Question 5

Where are stubby dendritic spines common

Answer 5

Immature brains

Question 6

What does the volume of spines correlate with

Answer 6

Strength of connection

Question 7

What is the postsynaptic density

Answer 7

Thick gray area where the synapse occurs

Question 8

What is the nuclear envelope

Answer 8

Specialized portion of the RER

Question 9

Are the nuclear pores hydrophillic or hydrophobic regions

Answer 9

Hydrophillic regions

Question 10

What do the nuclear pores allow for exchange of (2)

Answer 10

Proteins and mRNA

Question 11

What are the organelles located in the cytoplasm (cytosol) (6)

Answer 11

1. Mitochondria
2. SER
3. Cytoskeleton
4. Free ribosomes
5. RER
6. Golgi complex

Question 12

Where are organelles located in the neuron

Answer 12

Cell body and dendrites

Question 13

Are organelles located in the axon

Answer 13

No

Question 14

What do the mitochondria do

Answer 14

Generate ATP for cellular energy

Question 15

What are the functions of the SER (2)

Answer 15

1. Regulates Ca2+

2. Lipid metabolism

Question 16

What is the function of the cytoskeleton

Answer 16

Determine neuron shape

Question 17

What are the 3 main structures made by cytoskeletons

Answer 17

1. Microtubules
2. Neurofilaments
3. Actin microfilaments

Question 18

How far do the microtubules run in the neuron

Answer 18

All the way down the axon

Question 19

What is the function of microtubules

Answer 19

Develop and maintain neuron’s processes

Question 20

How are microtubules formed

Answer 20

alpha and beta subunits arranged linearly

Question 21

What are neurofilaments

Answer 21

Fibers that twist around each other

Question 22

What are the functions of neurofilaments (2)

Answer 22

1. Stable bones of the cytoskeleton

2. Act as cross bridges for microtubules

Question 23

What is the most important microfilament

Answer 23

Actin

Question 24

What are the 4 characteristics of actin

Answer 24

1. Small diameter
2. Concentrated at cell’s periphery
3. Form a matrix
4. Dynamic

Question 25

What are microfilaments important for

Answer 25

Plasticity of the neuron

Question 26

What does mercury do to microtubules

Answer 26

Break them down

Question 27

How does mercury breakdown microtubules

Answer 27

It bids to newly synthesized tubulin in molecules which prevent tubulin molecules from connecting together

Question 28

Where is DNA transcribed into mRNA

Answer 28

The nucleus

Question 29

Where does the mRNA go after transcription

Answer 29

Leaves the nucleus through the nuclear pores and becomes associated with ribosomes

Question 30

What occurs once the mRNA is associated with a ribosome

Answer 30

Translation

Question 31

What type of proteins does the RER usually make

Answer 31

Membrane bound proteins like ion channels and transporters

Question 32

Where do proteins from the RER go for further processing

Answer 32

The golgi complex