BMS 365 -- Nerve and Muscle: Toxins, Trauma and Disease

Course Description: Understanding cellular and molecular basis of nerve and muscle activities in health and disease.

Course Objectives: Students will be able to:

1. Describe the cellular and molecular basis for normal and abnormal neuromuscular function. Included in these will be muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord trauma.
2. Describe the cellular and molecular components involved in neuromuscular blockade caused by venomous snakes and spiders, nerve gases, and pharmacological agents.
3. Describe the mechanisms involved in denervation and reinnervation of the spinal cord and peripheral nervous system.
4. Discuss current topics in the area of neuromuscular disease.
   

Prerequisites: BMS 300 or BY 310

Format: 3 credits - 3 hours of lecture per week

Semesters Offered: Spring

Coordinator: J. Rash

Text: Principles of Neural Science, 4th ed., Kandel, Schwartz and Jessell

Course Outline:

	Week 1:	Organization of the spinal cord; Ultrastructure of neurons and glial cells
	Week 2:	Nerve and muscle "action potentials"; Nodes of Ranvier; Aquaporins - water and ion homeostasis; Chemical vs. electrical synaptic transmission
	Week 3:	Gap junctions and connexin diseases; Structure and function of voltage-gated ion channel (VGIC); Toxins of VGIC
	Week 4:	Genetic disease of VGIC; Structure and function of ligand-gated ion channel (LGIC)
	Week 5:	Toxins of LGIC
	Week 6:	Team Learning; Class Presentations
	Week 7:	Alpha motor neurons and the "motor unit"; Synaptic transmission: Neuromuscular junction; Presynaptic components of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ)
	Week 8:	Postsynaptic mechanisms of the NMJ; Neuromuscular blocking agents: curarimimetics; Anticholinesterase agents, insecticides, nerve gases
	Week 9:	Mechanisms of pain; Treatment of pain; Autoimmune diseases of the NMJ
	Week 10:	EC coupling: skeletal/cardiac; Muscular dystrophy; Myotonia, periodic paralysis, cardiomyopathy; G proteins and their toxins
	Week 11:	Sensory transduction and their toxins; Disorders of sensory transduction
	Week 12:	Spinal cord development and function; A&P of reflex arc; Peripheral nerve trauma and regeneration
	Week 13:	Demyelinating neuropathies; Spinal cord trauma
	Week 14:	AIDS myelopathy; Muscular Sclerosis and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
	Week 15:	Team Learning; Class Presentations

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