Nervous System

AP Biology 2007-2008
 Why do animals need a nervous system?
 What characteristics
do animals need in
a nervous system?
 fast

 accurate

 reset quickly

Remember…
Poor about!
thinkbunny
the bunny…
AP Biology
 Nervous system cells
 Neuron
signal 
direction
a nerve cell
dendrites

cell body  Structure fits function

 many entry points for
signal
 one path out

 transmits signal
axon signal direction

myelin sheath synaptic terminal

AP Biology
dendrite → cell body → axon synapse
 Fun facts about neurons
 Most specialized cell in
animals
 Longest cell
 blue whale neuron
 10-30 meters
 giraffe axon
 5 meters
 human neuron
 1-2 meters

Nervous system allows for

1AP
millisecond
Biology response time
 Transmission of a signal
 Think dominoes!
 start the signal
 knock down line of dominoes by tipping 1st one
→ trigger the signal
 propagate the signal
 do dominoes move down the line?
→ no, just a wave through them!
 re-set the system
 before you can do it again,
have to set up dominoes again
→ reset the axon

AP Biology
 Transmission of a nerve signal
 Neuron has similar system
 protein channels are set up
 once first one is opened, the rest open

in succession
 all or nothing response
 a “wave” action travels along neuron
 have to re-set channels so neuron can

react again

AP Biology
 Cells: surrounded by charged ions
 Cells live in a sea of charged ions
 anions (negative)
 more concentrated within the cell
 Cl-, charged amino acids (aa-)
 cations (positive)
 more concentrated in the extracellular fluid
 Na+

channel K+
leaks K+ Na+ Na+ K+ Na+ Na+
+
Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+
–
K+ aa- Cl- Cl- aa - Cl-
K+ aa - K+
aa - Cl-
AP Biology K+ aa- Cl- aa- Cl-
 Cells have voltage!
 Opposite charges on opposite sides of
cell membrane
 membrane is polarized
 negative inside; positive outside
 charge gradient
 stored energy (like a battery)

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
– – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– – – – – – – – – – – – – –
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
AP Biology
 Measuring cell voltage

unstimulated neuron = resting potential of -70mV

AP Biology
 How does a nerve impulse travel?
 Stimulus: nerve is stimulated
 reaches threshold potential
 open Na+ channels in cell membrane
 Na+ ions diffuse into cell
 charges reverse at that point on neuron
 positive inside; negative outside
The 1st  cell becomes depolarized
domino
goes
down! – + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Na+
+ – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
AP Biology
 How does a nerve impulse travel?
 Wave: nerve impulse travels down neuron
Gate +
 change in charge opens
+ – +
next Na gates down the line
+

 “voltage-gated” channels
channel channel
 Na+ ions continue to diffuse into cell closed open

 “wave” moves down neuron = action potential

The rest
of the
dominoes – – – + + + + + + + + + + + +
fall!
+ + + – – – – – – – – – – – –
Na+
+ + + – – – – – – – – – – – –
– – – + + + + + + + + + + + +
AP Biology wave →
 How does a nerve impulse travel?
 Re-set: 2nd wave travels down neuron
 K+ channels open
 K+ channels open up more slowly than Na+ channels
 K+ ions diffuse out of cell
 charges reverse back at that point
 negative inside; positive outside
Set
dominoes K+
back up
quickly! + – – – – + + + + + + + + + +
– + + + + – – – – – – – – – –
Na+
– + + + + – – – – – – – – – –
+ – – – – + + + + + + + + + +
AP Biology wave →
 How does a nerve impulse travel?
 Combined waves travel down neuron
 wave of opening ion channels moves down neuron
 signal moves in one direction → → → → →
 flow of K+ out of cell stops activation of Na+
channels in wrong direction

Ready
for K+
next time! + + + – – – – + + + + + + + +
– – – + + + + – – – – – – – –
Na+
– – – + + + + – – – – – – – –
+ + + – – – – + + + + + + + +
AP Biology wave →
 How does a nerve impulse travel?
 Action potential propagates
 wave = nerve impulse, or action potential
 brain → finger tips in milliseconds!

In the
K+
blink of
an eye! + + + + + + + – – – – + + + +
– – – – – – – + + + + – – – –
Na+
– – – – – – – + + + + – – – –
+ + + + + + + – – – – + + + +
AP Biology wave →
 Voltage-gated channels
 Ion channels open & close in response to
changes in charge across membrane
 Na+ channels open quickly in response to
depolarization & close slowly
 K+ channels open slowly in response to
depolarization & close slowly
Structure K+
& function!
+ + + + + + + + + – – – + + +
– – – – – – – – – + + + – – –
Na+
– – – – – – – – – + + + – – –
+ + + + + + + + + – – – + + +
AP Biology wave →
 How does the nerve re-set itself?
 After firing a neuron has to re-set itself
 Na+ needs to move back out
 K+ needs to move back in
 both are moving against concentration gradients
 need a pump!!
Na+ + Na+ + Na
+
Na
A lot of + K+ Na+ + K +
K + Na+ Na
work to Na K Na+
Na+
do here! K+ Na+
+ + + + + + + + + + – – – – +
– – +– – – – – – – – + + + + –
Na
+ K++ Na+ K+ + Na+
K + K+ Na+
K + Na
+
Na K+ Na K K+
– – – – – – – – – – + + + + –
+ + + + + + + + + + – – – – +
AP Biology wave →
 How does the nerve re-set itself?
 Sodium-Potassium pump
 active transport protein in membrane
 requires ATP
 3 Na+ pumped out ATP
 2 K+ pumped in

 re-sets charge

across
membrane
That’s a lot
of ATP !
Feed me some
AP Biology sugar quick!
 Neuron is ready to fire again
Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+
Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+
K+ aa- K+ K+ aa - K+
aa - K+
aa - K+
K + aa- K + aa- K+

Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+

Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+ Na+

resting potential
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
AP Biology
 Action potential graph
1. Resting potential
2. Stimulus reaches
threshold potential
3. Depolarization
Na+ channels open;
40 mV
K+ channels closed 30 mV
4

4. Na+ channels close;

20 mV

Membrane potential
10 mV Depolarization Repolarization
Na+ flows in K+ flows out
0 mV
K+ channels open –10 mV 3 5
–20 mV
5. Repolarization –30 mV
–40 mV Hyperpolarization
reset charge gradient –50 mV Threshold (undershoot)
–60 mV
6. Undershoot
2
–70 mV
1 Resting potential 6 Resting
–80 mV
K
AP Biology
+
channels close slowly
 Myelin sheath
 Axon coated with Schwann cells
signal  insulates axon
direction
 speeds signal

 signal hops from node to node

 saltatory conduction
 150 m/sec vs. 5 m/sec
(330 mph vs. 11 mph)

myelin sheath
AP Biology
 action potential
saltatory
conduction ΘυιχκΤιµε♠ ανδ α
Na + TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

myelin
axon + + + + –
+ –

Na+

Multiple Sclerosis
 immune system (T cells)
attack myelin sheath
 loss of signal

AP Biology
 What happens at the end of the axon?
Impulse has to jump the synapse!
 junction between neurons
 has to jump quickly from one cell
to next
How does
the wave
jump the gap?

Synapse

AP Biology
 Chemical synapse
axon terminal  Events at synapse
action potential  action potential depolarizes
synaptic vesicles membrane
synapse
 opens Ca++ channels
 neurotransmitter vesicles
fuse with membrane
Ca++  release neurotransmitter to
neurotransmitter synapse → diffusion
receptor protein acetylcholine (ACh)
 neurotransmitter binds with
muscle cell (fiber) protein receptor
 ion-gated channels open
We switched…
from an electrical signal
 neurotransmitter degraded
to a chemical signal or reabsorbed
AP Biology
 Nerve impulse in next neuron
K +

 Post-synaptic neuron
 triggers nerve impulse in next nerve cell
 chemical signal opens ion-gated channels
Na+ Na+
 Na diffuses into cell
+ binding site ACh

 K+ diffuses out of cell

 switch back to
Here we voltage-gated channel ion channel
go again! K+
K+ Na+

– + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Na+
+ – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
AP Biology
– + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
 Neurotransmitters
 Acetylcholine
 transmit signal to skeletal muscle
 Epinephrine (adrenaline) & norepinephrine
 fight-or-flight response
 Dopamine
 widespread in brain
 affects sleep, mood, attention & learning
 lack of dopamine in brain associated with
Parkinson’s disease
 excessive dopamine linked to schizophrenia
 Serotonin
 widespread in brain

AP Biology affects sleep, mood, attention & learning
 Neurotransmitters
 Weak point of nervous system
 any substance that affects
neurotransmitters or mimics them affects
nerve function
 gases: nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide
 mood altering drugs:
 stimulants
 amphetamines, caffeine, nicotine
 depressants
 quaaludes, barbiturates
 hallucinogenic drugs: LSD, peyote
 SSRIs: Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil
AP Biology  poisons
 Acetylcholinesterase
 Enzyme which breaks down
acetylcholine neurotransmitter
 acetylcholinesterase inhibitors = neurotoxins
 snake venom, sarin, insecticides

neurotoxin
in green

active site
in red snake toxin blocking
acetylcholinesterase
AP Biology
acetylcholinesterase active site
 Questions to ponder…
 Why are axons so long?
 Why have synapses at all?
 How do “mind altering drugs” work?
 caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, marijuana…
 Do plants have a nervous system?
 Do they need one?

AP Biology
 Ponder this…
Any Questions??

AP Biology 2007-2008
AP Biology