FUNDAMENTALS OF NEUROSCIENCE
EXAM 1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
saltatory conduction - Answer-charge leaps from one myelin sheath to another over
nodes of Ranvier
nodes of Ranvier - Answer-areas along axon that are not covered with myelin to
allow for ion transfer
early inward Na+ and late outward K+ - Answer-What two currents are evident under
voltage clamp conditions when the membrane is depolarized?
Voltage Clamp Method - Answer-What technique was important to manipulate
currents in order to measure ion currents,
study depolarization, ion species, etc.
reversal potential, ion substitution, channel blockers - Answer-3 pieces of evidence
that Na+ is responsible for the early, inward current
very little current - Answer-What currents are evident under voltage clamp conditions
when the membrane is hyperpolarized
false - Answer-True or false: passive current flow moves in both directions on an
axon
false - Answer-True or false: propagation of action potentials moves in both
directions on an axon
patch-clamp method - Answer-Method that allows experimenters to examine one ion
channel at a time
microscopic currents - Answer-currents that flow through individual channels
macroscopic currents - Answer-summations of microscopic currents
closed state - Answer-Voltage gated channel is not conducting, but ready to
open state - Answer-Voltage gated channel is conducting
inactivated state - Answer-voltage gated channel is closed and not ready to conduct
ligand-gated - Answer-type of ion channel which opens in response to
neurotransmitters
stretch-activated - Answer-ion channel that opens in response to physical signal
ion selectivity - Answer-property of ion channels that are selectively permeable to
some ions and not to others.
EXAM 1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
saltatory conduction - Answer-charge leaps from one myelin sheath to another over
nodes of Ranvier
nodes of Ranvier - Answer-areas along axon that are not covered with myelin to
allow for ion transfer
early inward Na+ and late outward K+ - Answer-What two currents are evident under
voltage clamp conditions when the membrane is depolarized?
Voltage Clamp Method - Answer-What technique was important to manipulate
currents in order to measure ion currents,
study depolarization, ion species, etc.
reversal potential, ion substitution, channel blockers - Answer-3 pieces of evidence
that Na+ is responsible for the early, inward current
very little current - Answer-What currents are evident under voltage clamp conditions
when the membrane is hyperpolarized
false - Answer-True or false: passive current flow moves in both directions on an
axon
false - Answer-True or false: propagation of action potentials moves in both
directions on an axon
patch-clamp method - Answer-Method that allows experimenters to examine one ion
channel at a time
microscopic currents - Answer-currents that flow through individual channels
macroscopic currents - Answer-summations of microscopic currents
closed state - Answer-Voltage gated channel is not conducting, but ready to
open state - Answer-Voltage gated channel is conducting
inactivated state - Answer-voltage gated channel is closed and not ready to conduct
ligand-gated - Answer-type of ion channel which opens in response to
neurotransmitters
stretch-activated - Answer-ion channel that opens in response to physical signal
ion selectivity - Answer-property of ion channels that are selectively permeable to
some ions and not to others.
