Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience Exam
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Aspinous dendrites account for- - CORRECT ANSWER: 25% of cortical neurons.
Mainly GABA, major component of inhibitory neurons.
At any given time, whether or not there is oxidative stress is dependent on- -
CORRECT ANSWER: the antioxidant capacity of the cell
How are microglia activated? - CORRECT ANSWER: Through chemoattraction , dying
cells and pathogens secrete/express factors that activate the chemoreceptors on the microglia
How are microglia relevant to synaptic plasticity? - CORRECT ANSWER: They
prune/remove synapses and phagocytose.
How do astrocytes self-renew? - CORRECT ANSWER: Progenitor cell activation and
Astrocyte reactivation that causes proliferation.
How do cells that are not in physical contact communicate with each other? -
CORRECT ANSWER: Synaptic transmission (chemical/electrical), Endocrine
(bloodstream), and Lymphatic
How do electrical synapses work? - CORRECT ANSWER: Via Gap junctions bridged
by Connexins and Pannexins that electrically couple the neurons.
How do Macrophages contribute to the immune response in the brain? - CORRECT ANSWER: They express a receptor for sugar molecules that are typically found on the outer membrane of bacteria, ARG1 contributes to the resolving capability, they also produce Neuroprotective molecules.
How do microglia contribute to synaptic plasticity? - CORRECT ANSWER: Microglial ramifications are intertwined with synapses and can engulf axon terminals, essentially removing it and causing the retraction of the axon.
How do microglia respond to the flipping of Phosphatidylserine? - CORRECT
ANSWER: The microglia release a tethering protein that recognizes the PS, which
causes a change in shape and the microglia engulf the dying cell.
How do we visualize dendrites? - CORRECT ANSWER: Via Immunostaining (staining
antibodies) markers that label pre-synaptic terminals of excitatory/inhibitory synapses.
How do you identify an axon at the molecular level? - CORRECT ANSWER: By
staining for voltage gated sodium channels. 1 / 2
How does overactivation cause the bystander effect? - CORRECT ANSWER: ROS
attack the cell membrane inducing damage, Nitric oxide diffuses across cell membranes, and cytokines bind to other healthy cells causing apoptosis.
How does Phagocytosis occur? - CORRECT ANSWER: In response to an invading
pathway, the pathogen gets engulfed into a Phagolysosome (a compartment inside the microglia). This has a low pH, barrier to protect the microglia, and ROS that initiate Respiratory burst.
How is information conveyed between neurons? - CORRECT ANSWER: Via Action
Potential or Electrical Transmission.
How is LPS useful in a lab? - CORRECT ANSWER: LPS can activate an immune
response, and can trigger microglia to release neuro protective molecules (especially in HIV).
How many cells (roughly) are added each day in a middle aged adult in the
hippocampus? - CORRECT ANSWER: 700
If you were to take a cross section of parenchyma you would see- - CORRECT
ANSWER: A complex mixture of cells, connective tissues, and vascularization.
In the cerebral cortex, all pyramidal cells are- - CORRECT ANSWER: Spiny.
In the presence of tissue damage, astrocytes- - CORRECT ANSWER: up-regulate
GFAP and Vimentin, causing a thickening of the cell, preventing damage by encircling damage and providing a barrier, and filling open space.
In what stage of the cell cycle are Radial Glia in? - CORRECT ANSWER: In
development these cells span the width of the CNS and are active. In adulthood they are quiescent, but can be activated.
One of the reasons that the cell membrane, and the brain, is so susceptible to damage is- - CORRECT ANSWER: The presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Due to the fact that not all sites of double bonds do not have bound hydrogen, it contains more free energy. This means they are more reactive, and therefore more susceptible to oxidative damage.
The function of neurons is influenced by- - CORRECT ANSWER: not only the neurons in the circuit, but also by supporting neurons.
The source of a new cell in the body is- - CORRECT ANSWER: A stem cell.
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