last modified 03 January 2009
  • Biology Home Page
  • Syllabus (PDF)
  • Course Assignments
  • Main Index, General Info, Notices
  • Lectures 1-3: Resting-Action Potential
  • Lecture 4: Synapse
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  • Lecture 5: Behavior
  • Labs
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    Neurobiology (Biol 635)
    Main Page
     

    Molecules, Cells and Behavior

    Spring 2009

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    NEUROBIOLOGY - MAIN INDEX.

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    Main Index
    GENERAL INFORMATION
      Professor: Richard Vogt, CLS 306; vogt@biol.sc.edu (777-8101)
      TA: Jackson Sparks; CLS 306; sparksj@biol.sc.edu (777-9621)

      LECTURE/DISCUSSION: T/Th, 11:00-12:15, CLS 202
      LABORATORY: T/Th, 2:00-4:45, CLS 303

      RECOMMENDED TEXT BOOKS FOR 2009 CLASS - (see Sylabus for additional suggestions)

        From Neuron to Brain, 4ed (2001) by John G. Nicholls, John G. Nicholls, Bruce G. Wallace, Paul A. Fuchs, A. Robert Martin, (2001), Sinauer (Amazon: $63 new, $51 used).

        OR...

        Fundamental Neuroscience, 3ed (2008) by Larry R. Squire, Darwin Berg, Floyd Bloom, Sascha du Lac, Anirvan Ghosh, Nicholas C. Spitzer. Elsevier. (Amazon: $80 new, $59 used).

      STUDENT EVALUATION
        Student grades will be based on the content and quality of written and oral work, participation in class discussions and involvement in the laboratory experience.

      GRADUATE STUDENTS / GRADUATE CREDIT:

        Biol 635 is available for graduate student credit, and in general, more will be expected of Graduate Students than of Undergraduate Students, especially in terms of effort and leadership. Regarding Term Papers and Lab projects, Graduate Students are expected to integrate these efforts into their graduate research projects in an appropriate and professional manner, such that the possibility of transferring knowledge gained in this course to their graduate research is clear and evident.

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    Main Index

    ANNOUNCEMENTS
    Week 1
     
     
     
     
    		READING SUGGESTIONS (Nicholls):
    Chapter 1 reviews interesting features of neurons and the nervous system; read/review for your interest.
    Chapters 2-8 cover various aspects of Resting and Action Potentials and Ion Channels. In my lectures, I will first discuss properties of cells that give rise to the Resting Potential, introducing ion channels at the end. Then I will go into some depth on studies of the ionic basis of action potentials (including voltage clamp experiments) and the molecular biology of ion channels. So follow in your book appropriately. The book (Nicholls) presents a view and information that is consistent with my lectures.

    LABS: FULLY REVIEW WEB MATERIAL PROVIDED BEFORE LAB PERIOD

    VIDEO SUGGESTIONS: see supplimentary videos
    View "MUSCLE II" Streamed Lecture (discusses membrane properties, resting potential, action potential, Nernst and Goldman Equations.) View "MUSCLE I" lecture for help understanding issues related to axon transport. View "HORMONE II" for help understanding vesicle storage and release.

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    Main Index
    CURRENT ISSUES IN NEUROSCIENCE... Professors learned their stuff years ago. Text books are never current. How do you find out what is important, TODAY (or at least last year)? READ!

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    Main Index

    COURSE ASSIGNMENTS: HOMEWORK AND ESSAYS
    While there are no exams in this course, there are several writing assignments aimed at allowing students to assess their understanding of the material presented and discussed, as well as giving student the opporunity to improve their skills in writing and literature research.

    Assignment Index
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    First Homework Assignment: Calculate Nernst Potentials and RPs ? due Tuesday Lab, Week 2 (1/18/05).

    Assignment Index
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    Second Homework Assignment: Due Tuesday Lab, Tuesday, Week 4 (1/31/06).

      [1] Draw pictures of what Action Potentials might look like with the following voltage sensitive ion channels present. (Draw #1, and then draw #s 2-6 relative to #1; illustrate how #s 2-6 differ from #1).
      • (1) Normal voltage sensitive Na+ and K+(DR) channels (like squid).
      • (2) Normal voltage sensitive Na+ and K+(A) channels. (K+(A) = Shaker channel)
      • (3) Normal voltage sensitive Na+ only.
      • (4) Mutant voltage sensitive Na+ only, where N-terminal inactivation ball is missing.
      • (5) Mutant voltage sensitive Na+ only, where N-terminal inactivation ball is missing PLUS normal K+(DR) channels.
      • (6) Mutant voltage sensitive Na+ only, where N-terminal inactivation ball is missing PLUS normal K+(A) channels.

      [2] What roles do Kir and Km channels play in the Action Potential?

      [3] Conclusion?

        What is the function of voltage sensitive Na+ channels?
        What is the function of voltage sensitive K+ channels?

    Assignment Index
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    ESSAY 1, RESTING STATE OF THE CELL:

    ion distributions and Vm

    (5 pages, due Friday of Week 3).

      Explain the Resting State of a neuron in terms of ion distribution and transmembrane voltage.
        Suggested length: 5 pages.
      The essay should be in your own words, and illustrations should be in your own hand. Please cite all source material.
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    ESSAY 2, THE ACTION POTENTIAL:

    Ionic and Molecular Basis, Propogation

    (10 pages, due Friday of Week 5).

      Explain the how action potentials are generated and propogated.
        Suggested length: 10 pages.
      The essay should be in your own words, and illustrations should be in your own hand. Please cite all source material.
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    ESSAY 3, THE SYNAPSE:

    Structural, Ionic and Molecular Propterties; Diversity, Dynamics and Integration.

    (10 pages, due Friday before Spring Break, Week 8)

      Explain the how synapses work.
        Suggested length: 10 pages.
      The essay should be in your own words, and illustrations should be in your own hand. Please cite all source material.
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    TERM PAPER:

    TOPIC OF YOUR CHOOSING

    (Oral presentations Weeks 14-15
    Written due due Week 15)

      Each of you come to the course with your own interests. This is an opportunity to explore these interests and share this information with the class. During the early part of the course, we will have discussions to help clarify this project. You will share your project in an oral presentation to the class during Weeks 14-15. A hard copy (written or otherwise) is due the last scheduled day of class (with revisions accepted up to the scheduled exam date for the class).
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    LAB DIARY AND PRESENTATIONS (ongoing)

      Diary. Each of you should keep written notes of your laboratory experiences. This diary should include details of experiments, key results and analyses, and conclusions about the results. Although you are working within groups, I am interested in your individual experiences and accomplishments in the laboratory. I will ask to see your notes from time to time for review and constructive feedback. I prefer this to be handwritten in a journal book.

      Presentation. At the end of each exercise, each group will collectively present a PowerPoint presentation that summarizes their accomplishments. This should include an introduction, a clear statement of an hypotheses or ideas that are being tested, analyzed data, a brief review of literature that is relevant to the experiments (how did your results compare to published findings), and a conclusion that summarizes your findings and suggests further experiments or questions.

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    LABORATORY PROJECT (after Spring Break, final report due final class, Week 15)

      Following Spring Break, you will have the opportunity to develop and carry out a short independent laboratory project. This can be done alone or with a group. During the early part of the course, we will have discussions to help clarify your project. You should maintain a detailed journal of this effort, and give an oral presentation of your accomplishments during Week 15 of the class.

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