ASU BIO 181 Exam 2 2025
Potassium ions are at high concentrations inside of cells including neurons - -True
The neural tissues are: - -Spinal cord, sensory neurons, and brain
Excitatory synapses cause hyperpolarization of post-synaptic cells - -False (causes
depolarization)
Excitatory synapses cause depolarization of the post-synaptic cell - -True
Fast neurons as described in lecture are fast because they are surrounded by a type of
glial cell that results in a myelin coating - -False (they are ionotropic receptors meaning
they open on their own)
The membrane potential (resting potential) is largely set by the: - -Na-K-ATPase pump
The receptors in post-synaptic cells are the basis on which the synapse can be defined
as inhibitory or excitatory - -False (neurotransmitters)
The action potential is - -A result of the movement of ions
Voltage-gated ion channels open when a protein binds to the receptor - -False (they can
only open in response to a change in voltage across the plasma membrane)
The central nervous system contains: - -Brain and spinal cord
Only pre-synaptic neurons are coated with myelin - -False (Only cells in the white matter
are coated with myelin)
Acetylcholine exocytosed from the presynaptic cell travels to the postsynaptic cell to
start the action potential in the postsynaptic cell - -True
The resting potential of neurons is: - --60 mV
How do the glial cells (i.e., myelin sheath) speed up the firing of neurons? - -Glial cells
allow the chemistry of the axon to jump down the axon using the Nodes of Ranvier
instead of occurring at every micrometer of length of the axon
The cell body refers to the part of the neurons that begin at the dendrites and extend to
the axon terminal - -False (the part of the neuron containing the nucleus)
List the 4 types of glial cells and list a phrase to describe their function - -
1. Schwann cell- provide insulation around the axon in the PNS
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2. Oligodendrocytes- provide insulation around the axon in the CNS
3. Astrocytes- star shaped cells that protect the brain from toxic chemicals
4. Microglia- cells that protect the brain in the cellular immune system
The axon from a pre-synaptic cell contacts the axon of another neuron - -False
(Contacts the dendrites)
Excitatory synapses make the post-synaptic cell less likely to fire - -False (Inhibitory
synapses make it less likely)
In the motor end plate, the event that is the immediate trigger for exocytosis is: - -
Calcium ions
When the presynaptic cell contacts a muscle cell, the synapse area is called the motor
end plate - -True
Acetylcholine esterase breaks acetylcholine into muscarinic acid - -False (Breaks into
acetic acid & choline)
The autonomic nervous system contains the sympathetic and the parasympathetic
nervous system - -True
The terminal web: - -is a site of exocytosis
Fast neurons as described in lecture require cytoplasmic signal transduction to open an
ion channel - -False (this would make them slow)
The axon hillock in the presynpatic neuron fires based on temporal and spatial
summation of inputs - -True
The presynaptic cell can be: - -In glands, muscle cells, or neurons
The nervous system is made up of: - -Glial cell and neurons
A cluster of neurons is called: - -Ganglia
The peripheral nervous system contains: - -Neurons and supporting cells
What is the importance of a synapse? - -It is where one cell talks to another cell by
regulative exocytosis
The axon hillock is known as the critical area for the decision to fire an action potential -
-True
The Na-K-ATPase pump moves how many sodiums and potassiums in and out of the
cell? - -3 sodiums out
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