Copyright ©Mark Nelson, 2002. All rights reserved.
Chapter 2: Cellular and Molecular Building Blocks
What you need to know
(exam questions will be a drawn from this subset of material)

What is ... (p. 17-18)
    the reticular theory?
    the neuron theory (or neuron doctrine)?
    a syncytium?

Who was Santiago Ramon y Cajal? (p. 18-19)
    Was he a supporter of the reticular or the neuron theory?
    When did he get the Nobel prize?  For what accomplishments?

Who was Camillo Golgi? (p. 18-19)
    Was he a supporter of the reticular or the neuron theory?
    When did he get the Nobel prize?  For what accomplishments?
    What technique did he pioneer?

What's special about the Golgi staining technique? (p. 19-20)

What technique did Cajal use to obtain support for the neuron doctrine? (p. 19-20)

Sketch a typical neuron. Label the soma, axon, dendrites (p. 21)

What is a typical size range for... (Not in Text)
    for dendritic arbor of a single neuron?
    the soma diameter?
    the axon length?

Sketch examples of the following types of neurons: (p. 22, Table 2-1)
    anaxonal, monopolor, bipolor, multipolar

Sketch a chemical synapse. (p. 23, Fig 2-3 A)
    Label the presynaptic neuron, postsynaptic neuron, synaptic cleft and synaptic vessicles.
    What determines which side is presynaptic and which is postsynaptic?

Sketch an electrical synapse. (p. 23, Fig 2-3 B; p. 37, Fig. 2-11 A)
    What determines which side is presynaptic and which is postsynaptic?
    What is a gap junction? (p. 37)
    What is a connexon? (p. 37)

What are glial cells? (p. 25-26)
    What's the approximate ratio of glial cells to neurons in the brain?
    What are the four main types of glial cells?
    For each type, what is its main function?

What is myelin? (p. 27-28)
    What cells form myelin?
    What's its function?
    What color does it appear in the brain?
    What is the most common demylenating disease? (Not in Text)
    What are the symptoms?
    What are the treatments?

What is a node of Ranvier? (p. 28)

Sketch an ion channel (p. 36, Fig. 2-10)
    What determines whether it is in a open state or a closed state?

What's the difference between an ion channel and an ion pump ? (p. 39, Table 2-4)

What's the difference between an ionotropic receptor and a metabotropic receptor? (p. 39, Fig. 2-13)

What is axonal transport (p. 43-46)
    What does anterograde transport refer to?
    What does retrograde transport refer to?
    Using the fastest form of axonal transport, about how long does it take to move something 1 mm?
    What forms the intracellular "highways" along with substances are transported?
    What are kinesin and dynein?