Biology Stack Exchange
Biology Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [neuron]

46 questions
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Why do ion leak channels exist?

I've recently learned about ion leak channels in the context of membrane potential and action potentials. Neurons have ion pumps that require energy in order to maintain the resting membrane potential and concentrations of K+ and Na+, yet the K+ and…
Nicholas Hassan
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Neurons: how does the brain reduce electromagnetic interference?

I read that the frequency of signal over neural ion channels in the brain can range from .19 Hz - 30 Hz at low voltage. For an interference example, AC electricity is 60 Hz at high voltage and generates an electrical field. From cited research…
Nick
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Can potassium ions depolarise neuron membranes?

I am reading a journal paper about the cell adhesion molecule NCAM2 and I have come across the following statement: To confirm the functionality of the reporters, neurons were time-lapse recorded before and after application of 90mM K+ used to…
ceno980
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Are living cells electrically neutral?

I found random scientific table which had a comment attached: the cells must be electrically neutral. Per my knowledge whole intracellular solution contains more electrons than protons (definition of negative charge) when cell rests and…
Lasha Bukhnikashvili
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Are synaptic boutons always located on axons?

I am learning about the protein Synaptophysin and I have read that it is an integral membrane protein localised to synaptic vesicles. I have also read that it is a specific and sensitive marker for synaptic terminals. On this site, I have read that…
ceno980
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Where do the Ca ions that causes neurotransmitter release from synaptic bouton, come from?

I hope the information you share will help clarify the following doubts and gaps in my knowledge: Where do the Calcium ions in the influx (which then triggers the neurotransmitter vesicles) come from? Are they traveling all the way from the ER of…
pulkitsinghal
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Understanding presynaptic and postsynaptic inhibition

One way to classify neural inhibition is based on the inhibition being "presynaptic" or "postsynaptic". As far as I understand, the two different types of inhibition refer to the following: Presynaptic inhibition: A neuron N1 is inhibited…
Pugl
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To what extent are microtubule-filaments present in astrocyte leaflets?

I have been trying to find information about whether microtubule filaments are present in the leaflets of astrocytes. A astrocyte can have quite varied morphology but many at least, have a star-like shape, with multiple branches, that become…
thehorselessheadman
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Is there a difference between human neuron cells compared to those of other animals?

Thanks for looking. Firstly, I am nowhere near biologist, just a student, so my apologies if this isn't a "good" question. Background: So I was searching about intelligence, brains and computers, and noted 2 videos, one where a person tries growing…
Zombie Chibi XD
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What are "inactive" cells during Ca2+ imaging of neurons?

I am reading this paper, and have found the following Figure (Extended Data Figure 5) where they show maps of active cells in the amygdala as imaged with a miniscope and GCaMP6m: Legend: Using the spatial filters provided for each neuron by the…
Pugl
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Are sensory mechanoreceptors and mechanical nociceptors the same type of neurons or are they different?

I always supposed the neurons / receptors which transmitted touch and pain were the same, since they react to stimulus which are the same but with different intensity, and they just sent a stronger signal in the case of something that has to be…
Pablo
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How are neurons selective towards specific stimuli?

I've read several papers that mention that there are specific neurons that are activated for specific things (e.g. neuron A activate only when horizontal lines appear, neuron B activate when certain sound appear, etc). How does this happen over time…
Max K
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Functional unit

What is meant by functional unit of a system? Like when we say that the neuron is the basic unit of neural system, do we mean that all those things that are performed by neural system can be performed by an isolated neuron? If yes, how? And if not,…
user55780
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What causes sodium channels to open?

What triggers the opening of sodium channels in a neuronal membrane? Is it acetylcholine that activates sodium channels in the postsynaptic membrane? Are sodium channels like receptors that have to bind to something (like a protein or an ion) to…
stressed out
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Relationship between membrane current and voltage in neurons

Depolarization of neurons leads currents of different magnitudes flow in or out of the cell, and the Sodium and Potassium currents can be separately plotted (Purves): Caption: Relationship between current amplitude and membrane potential, taken…
Pugl
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