1. Which types of ion channels are found on the nerve cell membranes:

The two types of ion channels are the voltage-gated ion channel and the ligand-gated ion channel.

2. Name 3 differences between voltage-gated and ligand-gated ion channels:

The voltage-gated ion channel responds to when there are changes in the membrane potential of the cell, where the ligand-gated ion channel responds to the binding of a neurotransmitter/ligand to the ion channel. The voltage-gated channel’s gating is controlled by the voltage sensor component of the protein and the ligand-gated channel’s gating is controlled by binding of the neurotransmitter to the ionotropic channel. Voltage-gated channels are responsible to transmit the signal from the cell body to the nerve terminal whereas the Ligand-gated channel is only responsible for fast synaptic transmission typical of hierarchical pathways in the central nervous system. Examples of the voltage-gated ion channels are Sodium channels, Potassium channels and Calcium channels where the ligand-gated ion channels are ionotropic receptors which consist of multiple subunits, which forms part of a receptor complex.

3. Compare ionotropic and metabotropic receptors

Ionotropic receptors are part of the transduction system and they convert extracellular signals to intracellular effects through the opening of ion channels, where Metabotropic receptors convert the extracellular signals to intracellular effects through metabolic changes.

4. Classify the CNS receptors into ionotropic and metabotropic and know the transduction mechanism of each receptor: Receptors that are ionotropic are GABA(y-amino butyric acid) , Nicotinic receptor(acetylcholine) ,EAA(glutamate) and 5-HT3(serotonin). The metabotropic receptors are the 7 Transmembrane G protein coupled receptors and their 2^nd messengers that formed that are grouped as the Adenylyl cyclase system (Beta 1,2/Dopamine 1/Serotonin 1a,b/Muscarinic2) and the Phospholipase C system (alpha 1, serotonin 2 , Muscarinic1,Histamien1).
5. Explain the difference between an EPSP and an IPSP and give examples of each: EPSP is the Excitatory Post Synaptic Potential which has a depolarizing effect (+) and causes the membrane potential to be closer to the threshold of excitation, which gives it a better chance to trigger an action potential, example Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter. ISPS is Inhibitory Post Synaptic Potential and it has a hyperpolarizing effect (-) which leads the membrane potential further away from the threshold of excitation, example – GABAa is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter.
6. What is the role of calcium in the development of a synaptic potential?: Neurotransmitters like Glutamate opens Calcium and Sodium channels and causes an EPSP, this means that the cell membrane will be much closer to be triggered for an action potential since the value is then closer to the threshold of excitation.