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

1. Voltage-gated ion channels
2. Ligand-gated ion channels

• Name 3 differences between voltage-gated and ligand-gated ion channe
•   Voltage gated ion channels

1. Changes in the membrane potential of the cell
2. Transfers signal from cell body to nerve terminal
3. Sodium(Na⁺), Potassium(K⁺) and Calcium(Ca²⁺) channels  

•    Ligand-gated ion channels

1.  Binding of ligand (Neurotransmitter) to the ion channel
2. Ionotropic channel recptor controls the gating of the channel 
3. Responds to Acetylcholine, gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate and serotonin binding to receptors 

• Compare ionotropic and metabotropic receptors.

Ionotropic receptprs	Metabotropic receptors
Contains multiple subunits per receptor	7 transmembrane G-protein receptors
Binding of the receptor directly opens the ion channel  thus no formation of  second messanger	Formation of second  messanger and therefore transduction relys on the formation of this messager
Channels are insensitive or weakly sensitive to membrane potentials	Activation of these results in indirect voltage-gated ion channel regulation.
Does not have a last long effect	Longer effect
Responsible for opening of ion channels	Responsible for metabolic change

• Classify the CNS receptors into ionotropic and metabotropic and know the transduction mechanism of each receptor.

The Ionotripic receptors in the CNS consists of GABA_A , nicotinic receptors, Excitatory Amino Acid (EAA) and 5-HT₃ receptors. 

Metabotropic receptors makes use of two transduction system in order to function which is 

1. Adenylyl Cyclase                                                                                                                                             This system contains both postitive and negative bound receptors. The postive bound receptors leads to the formation of second messanger which is ATP to c-AMP. The negatively bound receptors does not form second messangers in other words c-AMP does not form (inhibition effect).
2. Phospholipase C                                                                                                                                              This system contains postively bounded receptors which are α₁,5-HT₂,M₁ and H₁. It forms Inositol Triphosphate and Diacyglycerol from Phosphoinositol diphosphate. 

• Explain the difference between an EPSP and an IPSP and give examples of each

EPSP(Excitatory Postsynaptic Potential) refers to the activation of additional action potential as a result of depolarization. This is an example of Nicotinic receptors when Acetylcholine binds, the Sodium channels then open resulting in depolarization due to Sodium flowing in. 

IPSP( Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potential) forms a graded potential which makes a Postsynaptic neuron less likely to cause an action potential as a result of hyperpolarization. This is an example of GABA_A  receptor when gamma-butyric amino acid binds therefore Chloride channels open resulting in hyperpolarization as Chloride flows in. 

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

Depolarization takes place when an action potential arrives at the axon terminal of prestnaptic neuron, thus influx of Calcium forms in the presynaptic membrane. There is a spike of Calcium which leads to the fusion of synaptic vesicle with presynaptic membrane. Neurotransmitters are then formed from the synaptic vesicle in the synaptic cleft.The neurotransmitters are then released in the synaptic cleft which then binds to the postsynaptic receptors to elicit an effect. Therefore Calcium plays a vital role in the formation of Neurotransmitters.