Drawing Exercise – Resting Potential, Action Potential, Chemical Transmission at the Synapse, & Graded postsynaptic potential

Question

draw out resting potential, the process of an action potential, neurotransmitter transmission at the synapse, and the graded potential generated at the postsynaptic neuron. Take it as an opportunity to review core concepts learned in Lectures 2 and

3. The more details you include, the better study aid this picture can become. You can use the textbook, the lecture notes to help you.

1.    Sketch out a large neuron.

2.    Add to the soma sodium/potassium pumps in the cell membrane, as well as the distribution of ions, showing the state of the cell membrane at the resting membrane potential.

3.    In the axon, draw sodium channels and draw the distribution and movement of sodium ions during depolarization.

4.    Next, draw potassium channels into a distal segment of the axon (distal means far away, here, it means a section of the axon that is further away from the cell body) and draw the distribution and movement of potassium ions during repolarization.

5.    Next, in the most distal portion of the axon, draw the distribution of sodium and potassium ions during hyperpolarization.

6.    Add a second neuron (postsynaptic neuron).

7.    Action potential in the first neuron will trigger the process of neurotransmitter release. Illustrate the process of neurotransmitter release that ultimately triggers post-synaptic potentials in the postsynaptic neuron.

8.    Draw potassium, sodium, and chloride ion channels at the dendrites of the postsynaptic neuron. Illustrate the direction of ion flow when these channels are open.

Answer 1