The second lecture started with familiar topics from previous courses, such as, different organelles in soma and brief explanation about DNA formation and gene expression. One question which came to mind was that, why there are two different places for protein synthesis, on a free ribosome and on rough ER?
Another interesting question which expressed on the lecture session was about what would happen if there are not energy available? We were given two examples, working of natrium-kalium pumps and action potential. I was just wondering does these organelles need energy themselves?
On the lecture we were also talking about the axon terminal and about how the presynaptic axon terminal is hanging on the postsynaptic dendrite and the answer was the glia cells. The term glia cell is familiar, but their structure isn’t that much. For example, are they much more inflexible than neurons so that they can support well?
In the first reading assignment there were many familiar concepts for example, protein synthesis, action potential, DNA, RNA, transcription and translation, cell structure and plain neuron structure like axons and neurons. By reading I could recall the concepts and get to know them more detail. New information was for example, that the protein synthesis can happen in two different ways in two different places – free ribosome and rough ER.
I can particularly remember from the reading assignment the astrocytes which are the most common glia cells. These cells fill most of the empty space between neurons and take care and regulate the chemical content, for example concentration of the potassium in the extracellular.
Overall, the book is informative and well-made but sometimes it is little bit off topic. I found that the beginning could have gone a bit faster straight to the topic.
I also learned a little bit more about the brain functions, such as signals and structure from prerecording. For example, signals of eye go to back part of the brain and the white matter connects the different parts of the brain. This information can be investigated for instance with X-ray, MRI, MRA or PET imaging.
