NS201A: Basic Concepts in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

An interdisciplinary introduction to fundamental aspects of nervous system function. The course emphasizes the ionic and molecular basis of excitability, synaptic transmission and signal transduction.

Directors: Peter Sargent and Kevin Bender

Brief Introduction to the Core Course

General Reading

Monday, September 25
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Neuroanatomy 1
Instructor: Peter Ohara

Wednesday, September 27
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S202
Topic: Neuroanatomy 2
Instructor: Peter Ohara

Reading Module 2

Friday, September 29
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Membrane Potential
Instructor: Peter Sargent

Monday, October 2
Time: 10AM-12PM
Location: S-1320 Anatomy Lab (Parnassus campus)
Topic: Neuroanatomy 3
Instructor: Peter Ohara

Wednesday, October 4
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: S-1320 Anatomy Lab (Parnassus campus)
Topic: Neuroanatomy 4
Instructor: Peter Ohara

Friday, October 6
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Action Potentials
Instructor: Peter Sargent

Monday, October 9
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Paper Discussion
Huang-Trussell
Huang_Trusell Supplemental Information
How to read a paper
Huang_Trussell Study Questions
Instructor: Peter Sargent

Wednesday, October 11
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Single Channels
Instructor: Peter Sargent

Friday, October 13
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Problem Set
Extra Problems
Extra Problems Key
Instructor: Peter Sargent

Monday, October 16
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Structure-Function 1
Instructor: Yuriy Kirichok

Wednesday, October 18
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topics: Structure-Function 2
Ion Channels by Lily Jan
Ion Channel by Yuriy Kirichok

Friday, October 20
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Potassium Channels/Paper Discussion
Nature 2011
Nature 2014
Science 2017
Instructor: Lily Jan

Monday, October 23
Time: 9AM-12PM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Synaptic Transmission 1
Instructor: Peter Sargent

Reading List for Module 3

Wednesday, October 25
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Synaptic Transmission 2
Instructor: Peter Sargent

Friday, October 27
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Synaptic Transmission Problem Set
Instructor: Peter Sargent

Monday, October 30
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Synaptic Transmission Paper Discussion
Study Questions
Instructor: Peter Sargent

Wednesday, November 1
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Exam 2013 Key
Exam 2013
Exam 2014 Key
Exam 2014
Exam 2015 Key
Exam 2015
Exam 2016 Key
Exam 2016

Exam 2017 Key
Exam 2017

Friday, November 3
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Glutamate Receptors
Instructor: Roger Nicoll

Monday, November 6
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Plasticity
Instructor: Roger Nicoll

Wednesday, November 8
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Neurotransmitter Release
Instructor: Robert Edwards

Friday, November 10
NO CLASS
Veteran's Day

Friday, November 17
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: MH-2100
Topic: Neurotransmitter Reuptake
Endo
Trans
Instructor: Robert Edwards

Monday, November 20
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Release/Reuptake Paper Discussion
Instructor: Robert Edwards

Wednesday, November 22
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Plasticity Paper Discussions
Paper 1 - Bosch
Paper 2 - Platt
Instructor: Roger Nicoll

Friday, November 24
NO CLASS
Thanksgiving Holiday

Monday, November 27
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: GPCR Pharmacology 1
Instructor: Mark von Zastrow

Wednesday, November 29
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: GPCR Pharmacology 2
Reading List
Instructor: Mark von Zastrow

Friday, December 1
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Receptor Pharmacology Paper Discussion
Instructor: Mark von Zastrow

Monday, December 4
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Neuronal Integration
Reading List
Shepherd and Koch
Silver-Neuronal Arithmetic
Instructor: Kevin Bender

Wednesday, December 6
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Active integration
Instructor: Kevin Bender

Friday, December 8
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: Cellular integration paper
Milner and Do
Study Guideline
Instructor: Kevin Bender

Monday, December 11
Time: 9AM-11AM
Location: GH-S261
Topic: EXAM