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Nervous System
AP Biology
2007-2008
Action Potential Animation
AP Biology
Why do animals need a nervous system?
 What characteristics
do animals need in
a nervous system?
 fast
 accurate
 reset quickly
Remember…
Poor
thinkbunny!
about
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
AP Biology
dendrite
 cell body  axon
synaptic terminal
synapse
Neurons
 Cells responsible for transmission of nervous
system information
 Many different types eg. Sciatic nerve
extends from the lower spinal cord to the foot
(>1M long)
 Have a large cell body containing the nucleus
 Dendrites – extensions from the cell body
that receive signals and convey them to the
cell body
 Axons – conduct messages away from the
AP Biology
cell body
Other Components of the NS
 Ganglia – clusters of neurons
 Glial cells – (glue cells) supporting cells,
important for maintaining structural integrity
of N.S.; do not conduct nerve impulses
 PNS neurons have Schwann cells that form
an insulating layer called the myelin sheath
AP Biology
Other Components of the NS
 White Matter - myelinated axons

neurilemma (surrounds the axon) – promotes
regeneration of damage axons – severed
neurons can be rejoined
 Grey Matter – NO myelinated axons

damage here is normally permanent
AP Biology
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
response time
Biology
Transmission of a signal
 Think dominoes!

To start the signal
 knock down line of dominoes by tipping 1st one
 trigger the signal

To propagate the signal
 do dominoes move down the line?
 no, just a wave through them!

To 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+
Na+
Na+
K+
AP Biology
aa-
K+
Na+
aaCl-
Na+
ClK+
Na+
aa-
Na+
K+
aa-
K+
Na+
ClCl-
Na+
aa-
Na+
Na+
Na+
Claa- Cl-
–
K+
+
channel
leaks K+
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
domino
goes
down!
 cell becomes depolarized
– + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Na+
AP Biology
+ – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
How does a nerve impulse travel?
 Wave: nerve impulse travels down neuron



The rest
of the
dominoes
fall!
Gate
+
change in charge opens
+ –
+
next Na gates down the line
 “voltage-gated” channels
channel
Na+ ions continue to diffuse into cell
closed
“wave” moves down neuron = action potential
+
channel
open
– – – + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ + + – – – – – – – – – – – –
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
back up
quickly!
K+
+ – – – – + + + + + + + + + +
– + + + + – – – – – – – – – –
Na+
– + + + + – – – – – – – – – –
+ – – – – + + + + + + + + + +
AP Biology
wave 
How does a nerve impulse travel?
 Combined waves travel down neuron


Ready
for
next time!
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
K+
+ + + – – – – + + + + + + + +
– – – + + + + – – – – – – – –
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
blink of
an eye!
K+
+ + + + + + + – – – – + + + +
– – – – – – – + + + + – – – –
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
& function!
K+
+ + + + + + + + + – – – + + +
– – – – – – – – – + + + – – –
Na+
– – – – – – – – – + + + – – –
+ + + + + + + + + – – – + + +
AP Biology
wave 
How does the nerve re-set itself?
 After firing a neuron has to re-set itself



A lot of
work to
do here!
Na+ needs to move back out
K+ needs to move back in
both are moving against concentration gradients
 need a pump!!
Na+
+
Na+ +
K
K Na+
+
K+
+
Na
Na+
Na+
K+
K
Na+
+Na
+
Na
Na
+ + + + + + + + + + – – – – +
– – +– – – – – – – – + + + + –
Na+
Na
K+
K+
+
+
K
K++ Na
+
+
+
+
Na
K
K
Na K
Na+
Na+
K+
– – – – – – – – – – + + + + –
+ + + + + + + + + + – – – – +
AP Biology
wave 
Na+
+
How does the nerve re-set itself?
 Sodium-Potassium pump

active transport protein in membrane
 requires ATP
3 Na+ pumped out
+
 2 K pumped in
 re-sets charge
across
membrane

AP Biology
That’s a lot
of ATP !
Feed me some
sugar quick!
ATP
Neuron is ready to fire again
Na+
Na+
Na+
K+
aa-
aaNa+
Na+
Na+
K+
Na+
Na+
K+
Na+
aa-
K+
Na+
resting potential
Na+
Na+
Na+
K+
aaNa+
Na+
Na+
K+
Na+
Na+
Na+
K+
aa-
aa- K+
K+
Na+
Na+
Na+
Na+
Na+
Na+
Na+
VIDEO
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
AP Biology
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
 Action Potential Animation
AP Biology
Action potential graph
1. Resting potential
2. Stimulus reaches
40 mV
4
30 mV
Membrane potential
threshold potential
3. Depolarization
Na+ channels open;
K+ channels closed
4. Na+ channels close;
K+ channels open
5. Repolarization
reset charge gradient
6. Undershoot
+ channels close slowly
K
AP Biology
20 mV
10 mV Depolarization
Na+ flows in
0 mV
–10 mV
3
–20 mV
Repolarization
K+ flows out
5
–30 mV
–40 mV
–50 mV
Threshold
–60 mV
2
–70 mV
–80 mV
1
Resting potential
Hyperpolarization
(undershoot)
6 Resting
Action potential graph
2005-2006
AP Biology
Myelin sheath
 Axon coated with Schwann cells
signal
direction
insulates axon
 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
Multiple Sclerosis
 immune system
(T cells) attack
myelin sheath
 loss of signal
AP Biology
action potential
saltatory
conduction
Na+
myelin
+
Na+
AP Biology
–
+
axon
+
+
+
–
Questions to ponder…
 Why are axons so long?
 Do plants have a nervous system?

AP Biology
Do they need one?
Ponder this…
Any Questions??
AP Biology
2007-2008
 http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=t
ransmission+within+a+neuron+animati
on&view=detail&mid=6EC439784134077
0C8A66EC4397841340770C8A6&first=0
&qpvt=transmission+within+a+neuron+
animation
 http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=t
ransmission+within+a+neuron+animati
on&view=detail&mid=8695BD4C9FF0AF
1B067B8695BD4C9FF0AF1B067B&first
=0&qpvt=transmission+within+a+neuro
AP Biology