Paper details:
Be sure to read the questions carefully and answer them completely. Several of the questions have multiple parts. If you use any outside sources to assist you in answering the questions, please be sure to include a citation as a part of your answer.
1. Unfortunately, while on vacation, you encounter a Taiwanese banded krait snake, and it bites you. What toxin has just entered your body? What will happen to your neurons (at the cellular level)?
Where in the neuron does the toxin bind? What happens as a result? Will the the cell be able to generate action potentials?
Include the name of the toxin and the references you used to find out the background information needed to help you answer this question.
2. What happens to the size and duration of a graded potential if I change the amount of time that a ligand gated channel is open? Provide examples to demonstrate your understanding.
3. Explain how when a cell is in the resting state, knowing whether an ion enters or exits a cell through an open channel, you can predict whether the equilibrium potential for that ion is more positive or more negative than RMP. Provide examples to demonstrate your understanding.
4.Why is it incorrect to describe saltatory conduction as the “jumping” of an AP down the outside of the axonal membrane, from Node of Ranvier to Node of Ranvier, until it arrives at the bouton? What is a more accurate description of the process? Be sure to explain your answer.
5. Explain the difference between a synthetic, non-competitive antagonist and an exogenous, competitive agonist.
6. Compare and contrast the impact on a cell when an ionotropic receptor is activated versus when a metabotropic receptor is activated. Be sure to include the following information in your answer (you can use a chart or bullet list to answer this question): receptor location in the cell, where the NT binds, the types of impact(s) on the cell, speed of action, duration of response. Also, include any other cellular proteins that need to be involved in the process in your answer.
7. If I designed a new medication that resulted in a substantial increase (10X) in the amount of time a kainate receptor stayed open, would you have any reason to potentially worry about it’s impact on a patient’s brain? Explain your answer.
8. Why should both binding affinity and therapeutic index be considered when determining the dose of a medication to prescribe? Be sure to include a definition of both as a part of your answer.
