Contributors

Preface

1. Cellular Components of Nervous Tissue

PATRICK R. HOF, BRUCE D. TRAPP, JEAN DE VELLIS, LUZ CLAUDIO, AND DAVID R. COLMAN

The Neuron

The Neuroglia

The Cerebral Vasculature

2. Subcellular Organization of the Nervous System: Organelles and Their Functions

SCOTT BRADY, DAVID R. COLMAN, AND PETER BROPHY

Axons and Dendrites: Unique Structural Components of Neurons

Protein Synthesis in Nervous Tissue

The Cytoskeletons of Neurons and Glial Cells

Molecular Motors in the Nervous System

Building and Maintaining Nervous System Cells

3. Brain Energy Metabolism

PIERRE J. MAGISTRETTI

Energy Metabolism of the Brain as a Whole Organ

Tight Coupling of Neuronal Activity, Blood Flow, and Energy Metabolism

Energy-Producing and Energy-Consuming Processes in the Brain

Brain Energy Metabolism at the Cellular Level

Glutamate and Nitrogen Metabolism: A Coordinated Shuttle Between Astrocytes and Neurons

The Astrocyte-Neuron Metabolic Unit

4. Electrotonic Properties of Axons and Dendrites

GORDON M. SHEPHERD

Spread of Steady-State Signals

Spread of Transient Signals

Electrotonic Properties Underlying Propagation in Axons

Electrotonic Spread in Dendrites

Dynamic Properties of Passive Electrotonic Structure

Relating Passive to Active Potentials

5. Membrane Potential and Action Potential

DAVID A. McCORMICK

The Membrane Potential

The Action Potential

6. Molecular Properties of Ion Channels

LILY YEH JAN AND YUH NUNC JAN

Families of Ion Channels

Channel Gating

Ion Permeation

Ion Channel Distribution

Summary

7. Dynamical Properties of Excitable Membranes

DOUGLAS A. BAXTER, CARMEN C. CANAVIER AND JOHN H. BYRNE

The Hodgkin-Huxley Model

A Geometric Analysis of Excitability

8. Release of Neurotransmitters

ROBERT S. ZUCKER, DIMITRI M. KULLMANN, AND THOMAS L. SCHWARZ

Organization of the Chemical Synapse

Excitation-Secretion Coupling

The Molecular Mechanisms of the Nerve Terminal

Quantal Analysis

Short-Term Synaptic Plasticity

9. Pharmacology and Biochemistry of Synaptic Transmission: Classic Transmitters

ARIEL Y. DEUTCH AND ROBERT H. ROTH

Diverse Modes of Neuronal Communication

Chemical Transmission

Classic Neurotransmitters

Summary

10. Nonclassic Signaling in the Brain

ARIEL Y. DEUTCH AND JAMES L. ROBERTS

Peptide Neurotransmitters

Neurotensin as an Example of Peptide Neurotransmitters

Unconventional Transmitters

Synaptic Transmitters in Perspective

11. Neurotransmitter Receptors

M. NEAL WAXHAM

Ionotropic Receptors

G Protein-Coupled Receptors

12. Intracellular Signaling

HOWARD SCHULMAN

Signaling Through G-Protein-Linked Receptors

Modulation of Neuronal Function by Protein Kinases and Phosphatases

13. Regulation of Neuronal Gene Expression and Protein Synthesis

JAMES L. ROBERTS AND JAMES R. LUNDBLAD

Intracellular Signaling Affects Nuclear Gene Expression

Role of cAMP and Cat+ in the Activation Pathways of Transcription

Summary

14. Mathematical Modeling and Analysis of Intracellular Signaling Pathways

PAUL D. SMOLEN, DOUGLAS A. BAXTER, AND JOHN H. BYRNE

Methods for Modelling Intracellular Signaling Pathways

General Issues in the Modeling of Biochemical Systems

Specific Modeling Methods

Summary

15. Cell-Cell Communication: An Overview Emphasizing Gap Junctions

DAVID C. SPRAY, ELIANA SCEMES, RENATO ROZENTAL, AND ROLF DERMIETZEL

Chemical and Electrical Synapses Differ in Functional Characteristics

Biophysical and Pharmacological Properties of Gap Junctions in the Nervous System

Role of Gap Junctions in Functions of Nervous Tissue

Gap Junction-Related Neuropathologies

16. Postsynaptic Potentials and Synaptic Integration

JOHN H. BYRNE

Ionotropic Receptors: Mediators of Fast Excitatory and Inhibitory Synaptic Potentials

Metabotropic Receptors: Mediators of Slow Synaptic Potentials

Integration of Synaptic Potentials

17. Information Processing in Complex Dendrites

GORDON M. SHEPHERD

Strategies for Studying Complex Dendrites

Summary: The Dendritic Tree as a Complex Information Processing System

18. Leaning and Memory: Basic Mechanisms

TI DOMAS H. BROWN, JOHN H. BYRNE, KEVIN S. LABAR, JOSEPH E. LEDOUX, DERICK H. LINDQUIST, RICHARD E. THOMPSON, AND TIMOTHY J. TEYLER

Long-Term Synaptic Potentiation and Depression

Paradigms Have Been Developed To Study Associative and Nonassociative Learning

Invertebrate Studies: Key Insights From Aplysia Into Basic Mechanisms of Learning

Classical Conditioning in Vertebrates: Discrete Responses and Fear as Models of Associative Learning

How Does a Change in Synaptic Strength More a Complex Memory?

Summary

Index