Introduction

Frequency number of action

potentials per second
Interspike Intervals
Conduction Velocity
Myelination
Glial cells
CNS: Oligodendrocytes
PNS: Schwann cells
Nodes of Ranvier

Introduction
Synaptic vesicles
Neurotransmitters
Chemical Synapse
Postsynaptic potential

Calcium & Magnesium ions

Resting membrane potential: -70 mV
Sensory neurons, motor neurons, &
interneurons

Objectives
Determine the effect of stimulus intensity
the frequency of action potentials
Determine the effect of myelination and
axon diameter to the conduction velocity
of action potentials
Determine the role of calcium ions in the
release of neurotransmitters
Determine response of the functional
areas of neurons on varying stimuli

Methodology
Nerve Chamber where the axon is nerve is
placed
Oscilloscope - observe timing of stimuli and
voltage changes in the axon
Stimulator - sets the stimulus voltage and to
deliver pulses that depolarize the axon
Recording electrodes - records voltage
changes in the axon
Microelectrodes
Hook electrodes

Methodology

A 20 mV pulse
was delivered
to the axon for
0.5 msec

A 20 mV pulse
was delivered
to the axon for
500 msec

Activity6

A 30 mV pulse
was delivered
to the axon for
500 msec

A 45 mV pulse
was delivered
to the axon for
500 msec

(sec
)

Materials & Methods

A fiber
Largediameter
Heavily
myelinated
Sensory
Pacinian
corpuscle

Activity 7
B fiber
Mediumdiameter
Lightly
myelinated
Visceral
sensory fiber

C fiber
Thin
Umyelinated
Olfactory
sensory
neuron
Free nerve
ending

Methodology
TJ- di ko kasi mhanap yung katulad sayo na format ikaw na bhala
ditey..thanksand yung mga figures tlgang nilakihan ko sya .para
pagprinesent Malaki

Fiber was
clicked to
put the
axon in
the nerve
chamber

Stimulus
duration
was set to
0.5
millisecon
d for all
fibers

Oscilloscope was set

to display 1
msec/division for A
fiber. For B fiber,
timescale on
oscilloscope was set
to 10 msec /division,
and for C fiber , 50
msec/division

Voltage
display
was set to
30 mV for
all fibers
by clicking
the +
button
beside the
voltage
display

Single
Stimulus
was
clicked

Data were
recorded

Based
from the
data,
conductio
n Velocity
was
calculated
.

Methodology

Neuron was
immersed in
control Ca2+
extracellular
solution

Neuron was
immersed in
extracellular
solution
without Ca2+

Activity8

Neuron was
immersed in
low Ca2+
extracellular
solution

Neuron was
immersed in
control Mg2+
extracellular
solution

The stimulator was used to deliver a low intensity and high

intensity pulse to the neuron

Methodology

A very weak
stimulation was
delivered to the
receiving end of
the sensory
receptor

Activity9

A moderate
stimulation was
delivered to the
receiving end of
the sensory
receptor

A strong
stimulation was
delivered to the
receiving end of
the sensory
receptor

 20 mV
0.5 msec

Activity6

Activity6
20 mV
500 msec

Activity6
30 mV
500 msec

Activity6
45 mV
500 msec

Activity6
Action potential frequency
1/ISI(sec)
Effect of increased stimulus intensity
on the frequency of action potentials:
increase

Activity 7

A fiber
Oscilloscope timescale at 1 msec per
division

Activity 7

B fiber
Oscilloscope timescale at 10 msec
per division

Activity 7

C fiber
Oscilloscope timescale at 50 msec
per division

Activity 7

Conduction velocity is calculated by

dividing the distance between R1 and
R2 (0.1 m) by the time it took for the
action potential to travel from R1 to R2

Greater diameter and myelination,

faster conduction

Summary of Results:

Stimulus
Intensit
y
Low
Intensit
y
High
Intensit
y

Number of
synaptic vesicles
exocytosed in
Control Ca2+

Number of
synaptic vesicles
exocytosed in No
Ca2+

Number of
synaptic vesicles
exocytosed in
Low Ca2+

Number of
synaptic vesicles
exocytosed in
Mg2+

Discussion
Calcium (Ca2+)is a vital element in
the process of neurotransmitter
release from the axon terminal
The exocytosis of synaptic vesicles is
calcium dependent
Magnesium (Mg2+) competes with
the calcium ions in attaching to the
voltage-gated calcium channel

Activity9

Activity 9

Sensory neurons receive the stimuli

and communicate with interneurons
which process the information and
communicate with motor neurons
Resting membrane potential is the
same in the sensory neuron and the
interneuron

Activity 9
Weak stimulus
Small depolarizing response at R1

Activity 9
Moderate stimulus
Large depolarizing response at R1

Activity 9
Strong stimulus
Large depolarizing response at R1 and R3

Conclusions
An increase in the stimulus intensity also increases the
action potential frequency.
A fiber has the greatest conduction velocity while C fiber
has the slowest conduction velocity.
The exocytosis of synaptic vesicles is dependent upon the
presence of calcium ions; Magnesium ions block the
calcium channels and inhibits the release of
neurotransmitter
The cell body of the sensory neuron (R1) receives the
stimulus, and therefore has a higher depolarizing response
than the cell body of the interneuron (R3); Graded receptor
potentials occur at these areas, while action potentials
occur at the axons of both types of neurons (R2 and R4).

Conclusions

Neuroglial Cells. (2001). Retrieved from

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10869/
The nervous system. (2008). Retreived from
http://lrrpublic.cli.det.nsw.edu.au/lrrSecure/Sites/LRRView/7700/do
cuments/5657/5657/5657_05.htm