Which types of ion channels are found on the nerve cell cell membrane?

1. Voltage-gated channels

2. Ligand-gated channels

Name 3 differences between voltage-gated and ligand-gated ion channels

Voltage-gated ion channels are known to respond to changes in the cell membrane potentials and ligand-gated ion respond by binding of neurotransmitter to ion channel.

Voltage-ion channels can be modulated by neurotransmitters when bound to G- proteins coupled receptors(metabotropic receptors) while ligand- gated channels are not thus  ligand-gated channels will last for a short period of time while voltage will last for a longer period of time. 

In voltage-ion gated ion channels there is indirect binding to the neurotransmitter(metabotropic receptors) while in ligand-gated channels there is direct binding to neurotransmitters.

Compare ionotropic and metabotropic receptors  

ionotropic receptors bind directly to neurotransmitter ligand and results in the opening of the channel while in metabotropic receptors do not bind to the neurotransmitter rather bind to a G-protein which will result in the production of second messengers, that will result in the opening of the channel.

Due to the presence of G-proteins or activation metabotropic receptors results in effects that lasts long while the channels activated by ionotropic receptors only lasts for brief second.

ligand-gated channels bind to multiple subunits while metabotropic receptors are  seven transmembrane coupled receptors.

Classify the CNS receptors into ionotropic and metabotropic and know their transduction mechanism

ionotropic receptors in the central nervous system are GABA, nicotinic( acetyl choline) , Glutamate, and serotonin.

metabotropic receptors have transduction systems that rely on two transduction systems namely the adenylyl cyclase system and the phospholipase C system.

Explain the difference between an EPSP and an IPSP and provide examples of each

Excitatory postsynaptic potential(EPSP) is when there is an excitatory pathway that is stimulated while an inhibitory postsynaptic potential(IPSP) is when there is an inhibitory pathway that is stimulated.

In the EPSP pathway the action potential is excitatory because the transmitter acting on the ionotropic receptor is causing an increase in cation permeability an example of such a transmitters are excitatory amino acids( glutamate)

In the IPSP pathway hyperpolarization  of the post-synaptic membrane takes place resulting in the selective opening of calcium channels, an example is gamma-amino butyric acid.

What is the role of calcium in the development of a synaptic potential

During synaptic transmission, calcium flows into the presynaptic terminal due to the potential propagated down the axon and opened the calcium channels as it flows in there is an increase in the concentration of the intracellular calcium. This results in the fusion of the synaptic vesicles and the postsynaptic membrane and the neurotransmitter is released and the channel is opened. Thus calcium initiates the movement of the neurotransmitter in a synaptic potential as an increase its intracellular concentration results in the fusion of the synaptic vesicle and the post synaptic membrane.