Physiology of Neurons

Thanks to tremendous technical advances in molecular biology and cellular imaging after those in electrophysiology, there is now a deep understanding of the physiology of nerve cells and their synaptic interconnections. The complexity of the brain emerges from the communication and interaction between billions of these elements. This book explores systematically and didactically the details of neuronal physiology, covering membrane biophysics, receptor physiology, sensory transduction and synaptic transmission with its selective pharmacology. Readers of the book will be fully equipped to understand the functions and possibilities of the key units of the brain’s parallel computations.

Detailed Contents Foreword Preface Contributors 1. Signaling in the Brain: An Introductory Anne Feltz PART I: ION MOVEMENT IN THE CELL 2. Resting Membrane Potential Ann Lohof and Danièle Tritsch 3. Ion Gradient Maintenance: Ion Transporters Stéphane Supplisson and Anne Feltz 4. Voltage-Gated Channels Anne Feltz 5. The Sodium Action Potential Ann Lohof and Danièle Tritsch PART II: FAST AND SLOW NEURONAL SIGNALING 6. Fast Synaptic Transmission: Nicotinic and GABAergic Transmissions Anne Feltz 7. G-Protein-Coupled Receptors and Signaling Cascades Philippe Deterre and Danièle Tritsch 8. Transduction in Sensory Cells: Fast or Slow Signaling Anne Feltz 9. Structural and Functional Properties of Ionotropic and Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors Patricia M.G.E. Brown, G. Brent Dawe, Anne Feltz, and Derek Bowie PART III: SYNAPTIC TRANSMISSION 10. Neurotransmitter Release Sumiko Mochida 11. Ion-Coupled Neurotransmitter Transporters Stéphane Supplisson 12. Synaptic Integration Boris Barbour 13. Synaptic Plasticity Mariano Casado PART IV: METHODS 14. Studying Neurons at Work Anne Feltz 15. Software Resources for Neuroscience Research Boris Barbour Annexes Index

Anne Feltz is an Emeritus Director of Research at CNRS, IBENS, Institut de Biologie de l’Ecole normale Supérieure, Paris, France