Synthesis Processes
This enzyme, found only in cholinergic neurons, transfers an acetyl group from acetyl CoA to choline.
What is choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)?
This glutamate receptor subtype is permeable mainly to Na+ and K+ and carries the bulk of fast excitatory transmission.
What is the AMPA receptor?
This is the number of membrane-spanning helices in a G-protein-coupled receptor.
What is 7?
Released in a Ca2+-dependent manner alongside other transmitters, this molecule also happens to be the cell's universal energy currency.
What is ATP?
This ion's outward leak at rest pulls the resting membrane potential toward a negative value.
What is potassium (K+)?
This amino acid is the shared precursor for dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.
What is tyrosine?
At resting potential, this ion blocks the pore of the NMDA receptor even when glutamate is bound.
What is Mg2+ (magnesium)?
When a transmitter binds a GPCR, the G-protein exchanges GDP for this molecule and splits into subunits.
What is GTP?
This retrograde messenger is made on demand rather than vesicle-stored, and binds presynaptic CB1 receptors.
What is an endocannabinoid?
This ion carries the fast inward current during the rising phase of the action potential.
What is sodium (Na+)?
This enzyme catalyzes the rate-limiting first step of catecholamine synthesis, converting tyrosine to dopa.
What is tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)?
GABA and glycine receptors are both ligand-gated channels for this ion.
What is chloride (Cl-)?
This term names the fastest G-protein-coupled effector route, where the G-protein gates an ion channel directly.
What is the shortcut pathway?
This gaseous messenger is synthesized from arginine and is small enough to diffuse straight through membranes.
What is nitric oxide?
This term describes an action potential firing fully or not at all, no matter how far above threshold the stimulus is.
What is "all-or-none"?
Serotonin is synthesized in two steps from this essential dietary amino acid.
What is tryptophan?
This class of drugs increases the frequency of GABA channel openings.
What are benzodiazepines?
Adding a phosphate group to a protein (a step in 2nd messenger cascades) is called this.
What is phosphorylation?
This is the neurotransmitter released at the neuromuscular junction.
What is acetylcholine (ACh)?
This type of postsynaptic potential moves the membrane toward threshold.
What is an EPSP (excitatory postsynaptic potential)?
This enzyme converts glutamate into GABA.
What is glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)?
This class of drugs increases the duration of GABA channel openings.
What are barbiturates?
the small molecule that sits between the first and last enzyme in a second-messenger cascade
What is a second messenger?
This monoamine's action is ended by Na+-dependent reuptake and is the target of many antidepressants (SSRIs).
What is serotonin (5-HT)?
This term describes neurotransmitter release in discrete, vesicle-sized packets rather than a continuous stream.
What is quantal release?