Neurochemistry I

Stored in Presynaptic Vesicles
Released in Ca²⁺-dependent manner
Capable of interacting with a membrane-bound receptor to produce an effect

Acetylcholine, Amino Acids and Amino Acid Derivatives

SMALL MOLECULE – Appear as clear vesicles
PEPTIDE – Appear as Large, dense vesicles

Enzymes are made in the nucleus and modified in the cell body prior to being taken to axon terminals.

Uptake molecules in the Axon terminal membrane move precursors or actual NT’s into vesicles or other organelles where reactions can take place.

Formed from cleavage in the rough ER and Golgi and are then packaged into vesicles and transported to the axon terminals

Linear because each Quanta comes from one vesicle fusion

AP reach Axon terminal
Voltage-Gated Ca²⁺ Channels Open leading to Influx
Synaptic Vesicles fuse with Presynaptic Membrane
NT Released

The greater the Presynaptic depolarization, the larger the EPSP amplitude. The curve levels off at a certain positive value, as it is approach the Equilibrium Potential of Ca²⁺

Proved that Neurons were separate cells whose firing was regulated by Neurotransmitters, rather than solely by Gap Junctions, as the former was thought to be too slow.

Involved two frog hearts beating within separate tissue cultures.

First Frog Heart: Stimulate Parasympathetic input so that contractions slow.

-He then removed some solution from the first bath and placed it in the second-

Second Frog Heart: The contractions also slowed

Basically, some of the ACh being released by the vagus nerve in the first bath didn’t synapse on the heart and was put into solution. This was then moved to the second bath, where it did synapse, slowing the heart rate.

EPSP – Depolarizing; increases likelihood of AP; typically involves elevated Na⁺

IPSP – Hyperpolarizing; decreases likelihood of AP; typically involves elevated K⁺ or Cl⁻

AMPLITUDE – Unlike AP’s, PSP’s are GRADED, in that stronger inputs will produce stronger outputs. Individual EPSP’s are generally Subthreshold and need to Summate.

Ca²⁺ entry into the axon, vesicle release, NT accumulation and diffusion across the synaptic cleft, binding and and activation of post-synaptic receptors

Short time to Peak Effect
Quickly inactivated
Typically associated with Ionotropic Receptors

Longer time to Peak Effect and long time to inactivation
Typically a characteristics of the receptor rather than the NT
Muscarinic/Metabotropic Receptors
Peptide Transmitters are typically slow type
Often act following Fast Transmitters

Postsynaptic Receptors can be located on Somas or Dendrites (including Dendritic Spines)

Can be activated by either an NT different from the one synthesized by the neuron or by the same NT synthesized by the Neuron.

Synapses where the Pre- and Post-Synaptic Structures are both axons.

Autoreceptors and Heteroreceptors

When the Axon terminal has receptors for the NT it release on the same terminal.

Generally, this serves a negative-feedback control

When the Axon terminal has receptors for an inhibitor NT released from a separate Axon terminal at the same synapse.

Ligand-gated Ion channels that involve fast EPSP’s or fast IPSP’s following NT binding.

Single Subunit
Seven Transmembrane Regions
Coupled to Heterotrimeric G Proteins

*Do not have a channel pore associated*

BASAL STATE: α subunit bound to GDP molecule

ACTIVATED STATE: NT binds, causing α subunit to lose GDP and bind GTP. The subunit also dissociates, and carries out some enzymatic process to activate a second messenger

RECYCLE: α subunit re-binds, GTP is converted to GDP, NT dissociates

Gs
Gi
Gq/p
Go

↑ Adenylyl Cyclase

↓ Adenylyl Cyclase

↑ Phospholipase C

↑ K⁺, Ca²⁺ Channels

Activation of Ion Channels (Go)
Activation of Second Messangers, typically kinases (Gs, Gi, Gq)

cAMP, DAG, IP₃, Ca²⁺

PRECURSOR: ATP
ENZYME OF SYNTHESIS: Adenyl Cyclase
G PROTEIN: Gs or Gi
TARGET: Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Ion Channels or cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase (Protein Kinase A)

PRECURSOR: PIP₂
ENZYME OF SYNTHESIS: Phospholipase C
G PROTEIN: Gp
TARGET: Protein Kinase C (PKC)

PRECURSOR: PIP₂
ENZYME OF SYNTHESIS: Phospholipase C
G PROTEIN: Gp
TARGET: Receptor of Endoplasmic Reticulum (causes release of Ca²⁺)

SOURCES: Voltage-Gated Channels, NMDA Receptors and ER
TARGETS: PKC, Calmodulin, Ca²⁺/Calmodulin Protein Kinase (CaMK)

STIMULATORY: Gs
INHIBITORY: Gi

Adenylate Cyclase produce cAMP from ATP

Bind cAMP to open channels that can conduct Na⁺, K⁺ and Ca²⁺

Belong to the voltage gated ion channel family even through their activity isn’t dependent on voltage.

Found in Retinal Photoreceptors and Olfactory Sensory neurons. Mutations in these give rise to blindness.

Tetramer that binds for molecules of cAMP. When the two regulatory molecules do this, they dissociate, exposing the two catalytic subunits which can phosphorylate a variety of proteins.

Hydrolyzed to produce DAG and IP₃

In response to Gp, it stimulates the reaction:

PIP₂ → DAG + IP₃

Has four Ca²⁺ binding sites that when bound regulates several things:

Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase (CaMK)
ATPase Pump
Adenylyl Cyclase
Phosphodiesterase

Phosphorylated by Kinase-Type second messengers, activating it to synthesize some NT’s

Phosphorylated by Kinase-Type second messengers, changing/maintaining the neuronal structure

Phosphorylated by Kinase-Type second messengers, altering gene expression

D1 & D5: Increase Adenylyl Cyclase
D2, D3, D4: Decrease Adenylyl Cyclase

α1: ↑ PLC
α2: ↓ Adeynyl Cyclase
β: ↑Adenylyl Cyclase

Nicotinic: Na⁺/K⁺ Conductance
Muscarainic: 5 Types

m1, m3, m5: ↑ PLC
m2, m4: ↓ Adenylyl Cyclase and involved with G Protein coupling to ion channels

GABA(a) – Cl⁻ Conductance (FAST)
GABA(b) – K⁺/Ca²⁺ Conductance (G Protein-Coupled)
GABA(c) – Cl⁻ Conductance (SLOW)

AMPA/Kainic Acid – Na⁺/K⁺ Conductance
NMDA – Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺ Conducatnace
Metabotropic – ↑ Phospholipase C