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Ch. 11 Introduction to the Nervous System and Nervous Tissue
Amerman - Human Anatomy & Physiology 2nd Edition
Amerman2nd EditionHuman Anatomy & PhysiologyISBN: 9780136873822Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksAmerman 2nd EditionCh. 11 Introduction to the Nervous System and Nervous TissueProblem 9
Chapter 11, Problem 9

Identify the following as properties of electrical synapses (ES), chemical synapses (CS), or both (B).           
a. ______ The plasma membranes of presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons are joined by gap junctions.          
b. ______ Transmission is unidirectional and delayed.          
c. ______ A presynaptic neuron and a postsynaptic neuron are involved.          
d. ______ The use of neurotransmitters packaged into synaptic vesicles is required.          
e. ______ Transmission is nearly instantaneous and bidirectional.

Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the difference between electrical synapses (ES) and chemical synapses (CS). Electrical synapses involve direct physical connections between neurons via gap junctions, allowing ions and small molecules to pass directly. Chemical synapses, on the other hand, rely on neurotransmitters to transmit signals across a synaptic cleft.
Step 2: Analyze statement (a): 'The plasma membranes of presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons are joined by gap junctions.' This is a defining feature of electrical synapses (ES), as gap junctions allow for direct communication between neurons.
Step 3: Analyze statement (b): 'Transmission is unidirectional and delayed.' This is characteristic of chemical synapses (CS), as the release and binding of neurotransmitters introduce a delay, and the signal typically travels in one direction.
Step 4: Analyze statement (c): 'A presynaptic neuron and a postsynaptic neuron are involved.' This is true for both electrical synapses (ES) and chemical synapses (CS), as both types of synapses involve these two types of neurons.
Step 5: Analyze statements (d) and (e): (d) 'The use of neurotransmitters packaged into synaptic vesicles is required' is specific to chemical synapses (CS), as neurotransmitters are stored in vesicles and released into the synaptic cleft. (e) 'Transmission is nearly instantaneous and bidirectional' is a hallmark of electrical synapses (ES), as gap junctions allow for rapid and bidirectional communication.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Electrical Synapses

Electrical synapses are specialized junctions where the plasma membranes of presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons are connected by gap junctions. This direct connection allows for the rapid transmission of electrical signals between neurons, enabling nearly instantaneous communication. Electrical synapses are typically bidirectional, meaning that signals can flow in both directions, facilitating synchronized activity in neuronal networks.
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Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses involve the release of neurotransmitters from presynaptic neurons into the synaptic cleft, where they bind to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron. This process is characterized by a delay in transmission due to the time required for neurotransmitter release and receptor activation. Chemical synapses are primarily unidirectional, as the signal travels from the presynaptic to the postsynaptic neuron, and they rely on synaptic vesicles to store and release neurotransmitters.
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Synaptic Transmission

Synaptic transmission refers to the process by which signals are communicated between neurons at synapses. It can occur through electrical or chemical means, with electrical synapses allowing for rapid, bidirectional transmission, while chemical synapses involve a more complex mechanism that includes neurotransmitter release and receptor binding. Understanding the differences in synaptic transmission is crucial for analyzing neuronal communication and the functioning of neural circuits.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Which of the following is not a method by which the effects of neurotransmitters are terminated?

a. Reuptake into the presynaptic neuron

b. Diffusion away from the synaptic cleft and uptake by glial cells

c. Movement back to the cell body by retrograde axonal transport

d. Degradation by enzymes in the synaptic cleft

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Textbook Question

The ________ is the period of time during which it is impossible to stimulate a neuron to have an action potential, whereas the ________ is the period of time during which a larger-than-normal stimulus is required to elicit an action potential.

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Textbook Question

Describe the three components of the neuromuscular junction.

Textbook Question

A ________ is characterized by multiple input neurons synapsing on one postsynaptic neuron.

a. Diverging circuit

b. Discharge zone

c. Facilitation zone

d. Converging circuit

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Textbook Question

Which of the following statements best describes saltatory conduction?

a. Every section of the axolemma must be depolarized and triggered to generate an action potential.

b. The internodes must generate action potentials.

c. The dendrites and cell bodies propagate EPSPs toward the trigger zone.

d. Only the nodes of Ranvier must generate action potentials.

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Textbook Question

The trigger for exocytosis of synaptic vesicles from the presynaptic neuron is:

a. Arrival of an action potential at the axon terminal and influx of calcium ions.

b. Summation of IPSPs at the presynaptic neuron.

c. Binding of neurotransmitters to the axon hillock.

d. Influx of Na+ into the postsynaptic neuron.

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