Exercise 3: Neurophysiology of Nerve Impulses: Activity 9: The Action Potential: Putting It All Together Lab Report Pre-lab Quiz

Results You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly. 1. Sensory neurons respond to an appropriate sensory stimulus with a change in membrane potential that is You correctly answered: b. graded with the stimulus intensity. 2. If the depolarization that reaches the axon is large and suprathreshold, the result in the axon is You correctly answered: c. action potentials at higher frequency. 3. At the axon terminal, each action potential causes the release of neurotransmitter. This neurotransmitter diffuses to the receiving end of an interneuron, where it binds to receptors and causes You correctly answered: a. ion channels to open, so that the receiving end of the interneuron depolarizes. 4. Interneurons respond to chemical (neurotransmitter) stimulation with a change in membrane potential that is You correctly answered: b. graded with the stimulus intensity.

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Experiment Results Predict Question: Predict Question 1: If you apply a very weak, subthreshold stimulus to the sensory receptor Your answer : d. no response will occur at any of the four locations. Predict Question 2: If you apply a moderate stimulus to the sensory receptor Your answer : d. small, depolarizing responses will occur at all four locations. Predict Question 3: If you apply a strong stimulus to the sensory receptor Your answer : c. action potentials will be generated at all 4 locations Stop & Think Questions: Observe the two neurons in the petri dish. What do you think is the resting membrane potential at the receiving end of the sensory neuron (sensory receptor) and the receiving end of the interneuron? You correctly answered: c. -70 mV Why is there no response at R3 when you apply a very weak stimulus to the sensory receptor? You correctly answered: c. The very weak stimulus does not depolarize the axon of the sensory neuron to threshold. Why is there a larger, depolarizing response at R1 when you apply a moderate intensity stimulus? You correctly answered: c. The stimulus induces a graded receptor potential at R1. Experiment Data: Stimulus Sensory Neuron Membrane Potential (mV) Receptor -70 -60 -40 -25 Sensory Neuron AP Frequency (Hz) in Axon 0 16.6 33.3 Sensory Neuron Vesicles Released from Axon Terminal 0 4 6 Interneuron Membrane Potential (mV) Receiving End -70 -70 -50 -40 Interneuron AP Frequency (Hz) in Axon 0 5 10

None Weak Moderate Strong

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Post-lab Quiz Results You scored 60% by answering 3 out of 5 questions correctly. 1. What determines the amplitude of the depolarization at the sensory receptor (R1)? Your answer: b. The frequency of action potentials at the sensory receptor. Correct answer: a. The strength of the stimulus applied to the sensory receptor. 2. What determines the frequency of action potentials in the axon of the sensory neuron (R2)? Your answer: d. The amount of neurotransmitter released by the sensory receptor. Correct answer: a. The amplitude of the depolarization at the sensory receptor (R1). 3. Which of the following directly determines the amount of neurotransmitter released at the axon terminal of the sensory neuron? You correctly answered: c. The amount of calcium that enters the sensory receptor. 4. Which of the following directly or indirectly determines the amount of neurotransmitter released at the axon terminal of the sensory neuron? You correctly answered: d. All of the above play a role in determining the amount of neurotransmitter released. 5. Which of the following directly or indirectly determines the frequency of action potentials in the axon of the interneuron? You correctly answered: d. All of the above play a role in determining the frequency of action potentials in the axon of the interneuron.

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Review Sheet Results 1. Why is the resting membrane potential the same value in both the sensory neuron and the interneuron? Your answer: por que no tenian un estimulo que activara una depolarizacion ,en la membrana ,en la neurona sensorial y en la interneurona 2. Describe what happened when you applied a very weak stimulus to the sensory receptor. How well did the results compare with your prediction? Your answer: al aplicar un estimulo debil al receptor sensorial solo r1 tiene una pequea depolarizacion y por lo tanto un potencial de accion pequeo , y por tener un bajo estimulo no podra transmitir frecuencias a r2,r3,r4 por esto mi prediccion no fue del todo cierto.

3. Describe what happened when you applied a moderate stimulus was to the sensory receptor. How well did the results compare with your prediction? Your answer: en el experimento se puede observar que este estimulo moderado hace que haya mayor liberacion de neurotransmisores , y tambien que r1,r2,r3y r4 y que lleguen a depolarizarse . 4. Identify the type of membrane potential (graded receptor potential or action potential) that occurred at R1, R2, R3, and R4 when you applied a moderate stimulus (view Experiment Results to view the response to this stimulus). Your answer: r1 y r3 poseen membranas potenciales neuronas sensoriales y r2 y r4 tienen membrabnas interneurales 5. Describe what happened when you applied a strong stimulus to the sensory receptor. How well did the results compare with your prediction? Your answer: Si los estmulos son ms intensos, la accin potencial son generadas en una alta frecuencia, causando la liberacin de mas neurotransmisores de la siguiente sinapsis

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