Online searches of science sections of major newspapers

(e.g. Google: Washington Post Science)

Mobuzztv

JOURNALS

These journals invite reviews of current interest:

Current Opinion in Neurobiology
Trends in Neurosciences
Nature Reviews Neuroscience
Annual Review of Neuroscience

These journals select submitted papers that are especially timely:

Nature Neuroscience
Neuron
Cell
Journal of Neuroscience

Also, these journals are often very interesting:

Journal of Neurobiology
Journal of Experimental Biology


To access the above journals,

go to: Biology Literature Resources
The TDNET links access journals available on line through the USC library. Use the "off campus" links if off campus to give you access to the subscribed to journals (supply requested info).

More e-Resources: Neuro-Sites and On-Line Journals (not up to date, but possibly worth searching)

COMMENT: Vast knowledge is being lost. Most on-line journals only go back perhaps 15 years and libraries only subscribe to a subset of available journals (very expensive). Also, libraries have archived older volumes of most journals (USC -- pre 1985). There are many outstanding studies that are now difficult to find as a consequence; these studies might valuably be re-explored using modern techniques.

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.

• Homework 1 (Week 2):   Nernst and Goldman Calculations
  
• Homework 2 (Week 4):   Action Potential Shapes v. Ion Channel Properties

• Essay 1 (5pg, Week 3):   Resting State of a Cell: ion distributions and Vm
  
• Essay 2 (10pg, Week 5):   Action Potentials: Ionic and Molecular Basis, Propogation
  
• Essay 3 (10pg, Week 8):   Synapses: Structural, Ionic and Molecular Propterties; Diversity, Dynamics and Integration
  
• Term Paper
  
• Lab Diary and Presentations
  

First Homework Assignment: Calculate Nernst Potentials and RPs - due Tuesday Lab, Week 2 (see syllabus for specific date).

Nernst Potential / Goldman Equation Handout and PROBLEM SET (PDF)
Nernst Potential / Goldman Equation Work sheet (Excel Spread Sheet)

Second Homework Assignment: Due Tuesday Lab, Tuesday, Week 4 (see syllabus for specific date).

[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?

ESSAY 1, RESTING STATE OF THE CELL: ion distributions and Vm (5 pages, due Tuesday of Week 3).

Explain the Resting State of a neuron in terms of ion distribution and transmembrane voltage.
  Suggested length: 5 pages.
A successful effort will...

• (1) Define/describe the resting state of the cell (ion distribution and charge)
• (2) Explain the specific mechanisms/processes responsible for these ion distributions.
• (3) Explain what the Nernst Equation and Nernst Potentials describe.
• (4) Explain what the Goldman Equation is and what it predicts.
• (5) Calculate Nernst potentials for the ions in the squid axon (or another tissue of your choosing) and calculate resting Vm using the Goldman equation
• (6) Describe the role ion channels have in providing a cellular basis for the processes hypothesized by the Goldman equation.

An essay should have a beginning, middle and end.
The essay must be in your own words, and illustrations must be in your own hand. Please cite all source material.

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.
A successful effort will...

• (1). Briefly describe / explain what the above figure represents (origins of the figure, its meaning in terms of Vm and ionic currents).
• (2). Explain ionic/temporal/molecular/electrical bases of action potential (Nernst, Goldman, ion currents, voltage clamp experiments, etc.),
• (3). Describe and discuss the structure, roll and action of voltage sensitive ion channels; how do these properties explain the activities in the figure;
• (4). Discuss dynamics of the action potential, including the roles diverse types of ion channels might have on temporal properties of the action potential, as wellas the propogation of the action potential down an axon (passive and graded ion currents) including factors influencing velocitiy (axon diameter, membrane resistance, mylenation).

An essay should have a beginning, middle and end.
The essay must be in your own words, and illustrations must be in your own hand. Please cite all source material.

ESSAY 3, THE SYNAPSE: Structural, Ionic and Molecular Propterties; Diversity, Dynamics and Integration. (10 pages, due Friday before Spring Break, Week 8)

Fully explain the figure above in 10 pages.
  Suggested length: 10 pages.
A successful effort will...

• (1). Briefly describe / explain what the above figure represents.
• (2). Discuss electrical properties of the neural muscular junction as a model for all synapses (EPPs, MEPPs, quantal release, vesicles, etc).
• (3). Describe the anatomy of a synapse and explain it activation and output.
• (4). Describe the events (at the molecular level) that occur in the pre-synaptic region that lead up to neurotransmitter release.
• (5). Describe the range of responses (at the molecular level) that occur in the post synaptic region.
• (6). Discuss the dynamics of the dendritic region (in other words, explain the figure): discuss diversity of neurotransmitter and receptors, multiple NTs and Receptor/transduction pathways within a single synapse, interactions between synapses, interactions between dendritic branches that lead to the generation of an action potential.

An essay should have a beginning, middle and end.
The essay MUST be in your own words. Any illustrations MUST be in your own hand. Source material MUST be cited.

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, but within the context of the course: "Neuroethology, Neuroplasticity and Behavior". 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).

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. During the first week following Spring Break, 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.