Questions from Ekert's Animal Physiology Text Book (for 2nd Test)

Chapter 6:
1. What are the two different ways in which bio-electrical signals can move from one point to another along a neuron's plasma membrane?
2. What is electrotonic transmission? Is it a passive or active process?
3. What is a postsynaptic potential (psp)?
4. What is the definition of the term "length constant" as applied to electrotonic transmission?
5. What are "non-spiking neurons", what are some of their characteristics, and where have they been found within vertebrate nervous systems?
6. Which scientist first successfully measured the velocity of nerve impulses using frog leg nerves?
7. What effect does an increase in axon diameter have on the length constant and how does it affect impulse velocity?
8. What two types of glial cells are involved in production of myelin in vertebrate nervous systems?
9. Where have some examples of electrical synapses been observed?
10. In what ways does slow chemical synaptic transmission differ from fast chemical synaptic transmission?
11. Are biogenic amines usually involved in fast oor slow chemical synaptic transmission?
12. What are two examples of toxins which act to inhibit neurotransmitter release?
13. What are the modes of action for curare, pilocarpine, and muscarine at certain synapses?
14. What are the two main mechanisms by which synaptic plasticity can occur?
15. What is synaptic facilitation, and what type of ion has been implicated in this process?

Chapter 10:
1. Mature multinucleated muscle fibers arise from embryonic cells called _____?
2. Which band within a muscle sarcomere has the ability to polarize light?
3. Which two scientists independently proposed the sliding filament theory?
4. Does a sarcomere generate it's maximum force when it is at it's maximum length, at it's shortest length, or at some intermediate length? Why?
5. Based on present understanding of the interaction between a myosin head and an actin molecule, how many binding sites are thought to be involved in a single rotation of the myosin head?
6. What are "skinned muscle fibers", and why are they sometimes used in muscle research?
7. Why was the discovery of EDTA important in leading to an understanding of the role of Ca++ in muscle contraction?
8. How many Ca++ ion binding sites are present on each troponin complex?
9. Storage of Ca++ within skeletal muscle cells is assisted by binding Ca++ to ______?
10. What characteristics have made substances like aequorin and furapta useful in understanding the role of Ca++ in muscle contraction?
11. Why does the overall ATP concentration within a muscle fiber remain nearly identical whether the muscle fiber is contracting or relaxed?
12. What are "sonic" muscles, and what are some of their unique properties?
13. What are "asynchronous" muscles, where are they found, and what are they used for?
14. What is the difference between "single unit" and multi-unit" smooth muscle in vertebrates?
15. What proteins in smooth muscle cells perform the same role as troponin and tropomyosin perform in skeletal muscle cells? 

Chapter 11:
1. Are there direct connections between the cerebellum and the spinal cord?
2. What are functions of the cerebellum that have been discovered so far?
3. What is the difference between the preganglionic neurons and postganglionic neurons in the autonomic nervous system?
4. In general, which division of the autonomic nervous system has the longest postganglionic neurons?
5. Where are the cell bodies of preganglionic nurons located?
6. What does the term "taxis" mean as applied to behavior?
7. Where are the receptors found on a scorpion, that enable it to accurately locate the direction of its prey?
8. What mammals, if any, use ecolocation to locate their prey?
9. What birds, if any, use echolocation?
10. What mechanisms enable a bat to differentiate between the powerful ultrasonic sounds it emits, and the echoes it receives back?
11. What substance has been found in the brains of animals that appear to be able to detect and respond to magnetic fields?
12. According to findings in Knudsen and Konishi’s studies with barn owls, what is the function of  the facial ruff?