ZOMG, NEUROBIOLOGY HMWK HELP!

[ucla_bruin]

Here's a question for ya k_shakerYou are called in as a consultant to analyze a newly discovered organism whose neurons use ions other than Na, K, and Cl for signaling. Working with an analytic chemist, you determine that the extracellular space is high in Q+ and low in P+ ions, while the cytoplasm is 10-fold lower in Q+ than outside, and 10-fold higher in

Comments

[k_shaker]

yay questions. thank you my brain was not being stimulated by these bioinformatics I'm working on

[ucla_bruin]

yeah bioinformatics is cake!

....

¯\(°_o)/¯

here is another one if you're bored...

It's another part to the question posted above that asks:
In a different squid synapse preparation, you perfuse a drug that blocks endocytosis, and stimulate the presynaptic nerve. You know that the terminal is releasing transmitter, because postsynaptic recordings show transmitter responses. The vesicular membrane does not express ion channels that alter the resting conductance of the presynaptic terminal. Each vesicle is 3um in diameter.

For each vesicle that undergoes exocytosis, what is the additional membrane area (show your calculations)

I might just be overcomplicating this but:

given that the area of a circle is (pi)r^2

You can find the area of the vesicle and assume that the area of the cell is just (pi)r^2. You add both areas to get

(pi)r^2 + 2.25(pi)

or

(r^2 + 2.25)(pi)

is it that simple? Seems like there should be more...

¯\(°_o)/¯

[k_shaker]

Thats an unedited thought process so I don't think I managed to answer your question. The Nernst for G- is correct, it does give the odd postive equilibrium potential.