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AP Biology Neuron Flashcards

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8936331619dendritesBranchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information.0
8936331620axonA threadlike extension of a neuron that carries nerve impulses away from the cell body.1
8936331621myelin sheathA layer of fatty tissue segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed of neural impulses as the impulse hops from one node to the next.2
8936331622Schwann cellsSupporting cells of the peripheral nervous system responsible for the formation of myelin.3
8936331623depolarizationThe process during the action potential when sodium is rushing into the cell causing the interior to become more positive; voltage change that occurs when the difference in charge across a membrane decreases4
8936331624axon terminalsBranched endings of an axon that transmit messages to other neurons5
8936331625nodes of ranvierGaps in the myelin sheath to which voltage-gated sodium channels are confined;6
8936331626cell bodyLargest part of a typical neuron; contains the nucleus and much of the cytoplasm7
8936331627membrane potentiala difference in electrical charge between the cytoplasm (negatively charged) and the extracellular fluid (positively charged)8
8936331628resting potentiala neuron in its unstimulated state9
8936331629-70mVa neuron in its resting state has a membrane potential of ________10
8936331630sodium-potassium pumpa carrier protein that uses ATP to actively transport sodium ions out of a cell and potassium ions into the cell, maintaining neuron polarization11
8936331632gated-ion channelA channel in the plasma membrane for one specific ion, such as sodium or calcium12
8936331633sodium-ion channelwhen stimulated, the result is a decrease in polarization to about -60mV13
8936331634hyperpolarizationThe movement of the membrane potential of a cell away from rest potential in a more negative direction.14
8936331635action potentialA neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon. The action potential is generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axon's membrane.15
8936331636calcium-gated channelsimportant for release of neurotransmitters16

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