Some neurons have very long dendritic arbors. Scientists wanted to understand how synaptic currents from these distal dendrites can cause action potentials. Traditionally, dendrites have been thought of as places where current is spread passively, with no action potentials (model 1). However, recently work has revealed that in some neurons, there are voltage-gated Na+ channels that facilitate the creation of spikes (model 2). B 1.010 soma dendrite 0.8- 0.6- 0.4- 0.2- 0.0- 0 100 200 300 Dendritic recording distance (um) 15 mV 10 ms Cell 3 400 Cell 2 In this experiment, scientists injected currents at different distances from the soma of a pyramidal neuron while recording voltage at the soma. On the left is a hippocampal pyramidal neuron with electrodes located at the soma and on the primary dendrites. The bottom electrode is recording from the soma, and the top electrode is recording from the dendrite. The black dots on the most distal dendrites represent synapses. This allowed them to measure the decay of the voltage change over dendritic distance. A. What is the approximate value of lambda, the length constant, for these dendrites? B. Say that an input onto a synapse 200 μm away from the soma of one of these neurons resulted in a 40mV depolarization. Assume a resting membrane potential of -65mV and a threshold of -40mV and that the dendrite can be modeled as a cable. Under Model 1, would the neuron generate an action potential? Justify your response with words and calculations. (roughly 4 sentences with math) C. Say that an input onto a synapse 200 µm away from the soma of one of these neurons resulted in a 40mV depolarization. Under Model 2, would the neuron generate an action potential? Justify in words (roughly 1 sentence)
Anatomy and Physiology of Special Sensory Organs
Sensory organs can be labeled as special sensory structures that permit sight, hearing, odor, and flavor. Sensory structures permitting proprioception, touch, thermal, and pain perception can be classified as more advanced sensory organs. The sensory neurons are trained to find out modifications in the external and internal conditions so that a person's body can react to that change. A stimulus is the first signal that is recognized by any sensory receptor of the body. Stimulus is an impulse generated when there is a change in the surroundings of a person. For example, a heated environment will alert the brain through the thermal sensory organs and generate a reflex accordingly.
Sensory Receptors
The human sensory system is one of the most complex and highly evolved structures, which processes a myriad of incoming messages. This well-coordinated system helps an organism or individual to respond to external stimuli, appropriately. The sensory receptors are an important part of the sensory system. These receptors are specialized epidermal cells that respond to external environmental stimuli. These receptors consist of structural and support cells that form the peripheral unit of the receptor and the neural dendrites which receive and detect the external stimuli.
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