Cellular neurophysiology: how neurons communicate (FUN)

This MOOC is especially intended for students in biological sciences, high school science teachers, graduate students, research assistants and researchers who want to understand electrophysiology basics.

With an emphasis on the experimental approach, this course will address:

- the ion concentration gradient and membrane potential that control the movement of ions across the neuronal membrane. These ion movements create ion currents;

- the genesis of the action potential and its propagation to the axon terminals;

- the function of the synapse: neurotransmitter release, postsynaptic glutamate and GABA receptors, postsynaptic currents and their integration.

Course format

Every week, the chapter includes:

- short didactic videos presenting cellular neurophysiology

- videos of experiments performed in a research laboratory

- additional documents for those who want to deepen some concepts

- automatically corrected quizzes to check that you understand the key concepts

- a forum to discuss with one another, to stay motivated and to learn even more!

Prerequisites

We strongly recommend that you know essential concepts of cell biology (cell, membrane...) and a few basics of chemistry (ions, proteins...). We will review some principles, but this course is for people who have completed a year of college/university in a scientific field. It is even better if you know some physics (the notions of current, potential, resistance), but do note that we will use only two mathematical equations in this course.

Obviously, this training also requires you to be able to use a computer and the internet and that you have enough motivation and autonomy to complete it.

Course content

Week 1: Ion gradients

Week 2: Action potential

Week 3: Neurotransmitter release

Week 4: Glutamatergic synaptic transmission

Week 5: GABAergic synaptic transmission

Week 6: Postsynaptic integration