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Cells of the Nervous System

Types of Cells
Neurons
• Transmit electrical signals and are primary
determinants of cognition and behaviour
• Many individual cells separated by small gaps
• “Gray matter”

Glia
• Play a supportive role
• Different types in central and peripheral
nervous system
• “White matter”

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Azevedo et al., (2009), J. Comparative Neurology 3

The Neuron

Axon

Soma

Axon Terminal
(Terminal Button)

Dendrites

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Multipolar Neuron

Pyramidal Neuron Purkinje Neuron

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:3_re
le:GolgiStainedPyramidalCell.jpg con_512x512.jpg

Bipolar Neuron
Dendritic
Branches

Dendritic Stalk

Soma

Axon

Ghosh, K. K., Bujan, S., Haverkamp, S., Feigenspan, A., &

Wässle, H. (2004). Types of bipolar cells in the mouse
retina. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 469(1), 70-82.
Figure 2B and Figure 3.

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Unipolar Neuron

Soma

Single
Stalk
Harris, J., Moreno, S., Shaw, G., & Mugnaini, E. (1993). Unusual neurofilament
composition in cerebellar unipolar brush neurons. Journal of Neurocytology, 22(12),
1039-1059. Figures 1 and 3.

Neuron Functions

Motor Interneuron Sensory

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Types of Neurons

A neuron’s function is related to it’s

shape. 9

The Canonical Scenario

Communication occurs by
chemicals called neurotransmitters.

Axons conduct an
electrical signal.

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Efferent Axon: Carries a signal away

from an area.

Area A Area B

Afferent Axon: Carries a signal to

an area.

Efferent Axon: Carries a signal

away from an area.

Reference
Area

Afferent Axon: Carries a signal

to an area.

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The Soma

Soma

Ribosome

Lysosome Rough Endoplasmic

Reticulum

Vesicle
Golgi
Apparatus

Mitochondrion
Nucleolus

Nucleus Nuclear
Chromatin
Membrane
(DNA) Smooth Endoplasmic
Reticulum

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The Semipermeable Membrane

Hydrophilic (water loving)
aspect of the membrane.
Extracellular Fluid Phospholipid Bilayer

Intracellular Fluid Hydrophobic (water hating)

part of membrane.

Proteins

Dendrites

Dendrites receive chemicals

leading to a change in electrical
activity inside the cell.

Dendrites

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Dendritic Spines
Dendritic
Spine

Dendritic
Shaft

Nimchinsky, E.A., Sabatini, B.L, & Svoboda, K. (2002).

Structure and function of dendritic spines. Annual Review
of Physiology, 64, 313-353, Figure1, p. 314.

Hippocampal Neuron

Dendritic Spines
Spine Head Spine Neck

Postsynaptic Actin Dendritic

Density Filaments Shaft
Bosch, M., & Hayashi, Y. (2012). Structural plasticity of dendritic spines.
Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 22, 383-388, Figure 1, p. 385.

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Actin
Mitochondrion
Cytoskeleton

Neurotransmitter Receptors
and Ion Channels

Adhesion Molecules

Postsynaptic
Density

Base on Figure 1 from Fortin, D.A., Srivastava, T., & Soderling, T.R. (2012). Structural modulation of dendritic spines during synaptic plasticity. The
Neuroscientist, 18, 326-341. See also Figure 1 from Brigidi, S.G., & Bamji, S.X. (2011). Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 21, 208-214.

Dendritic Spine Motility

Time
(Each image taken 2.5-min apart)

Yuste, R. (2013). Electrical compartmentalization in dendritic spines.

Annual Review of Neuroscience, 36, 429-449, Figure 10, p. 441.

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The Axon
Axon Hillock

Nodes of Ranvier

Myelin Sheath

Node of Ranvier Myelin

Phospholipid Protein Complexes

Bilayer (Ion Channels)

Ion channels allow charged particles

(ions) to pass through. They are
involved in electrical signaling.

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Extracellular Space

Myelin
Myelin

Axon
Node of
Ranvier

Myelin

Myelin
Extracellular Space
Jessen, K. R., & Mirsky, R. (1999). Schwann cells and their precursors emerge as major
regulators of nerve development. Trends in neurosciences, 22(9), 402-410. Figure 5.

Play an important role in

structural support.

Actin Filament (~6 nm)

Neurofilament (~10 nm)

Microtubule (~24 nm)

Play an important role in

transporting cargo.

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Fast Axonal Transport

Myosin Va
(Motor Protein) Cargo
(e.g., Vesicle)

Dynein
(Motor Protein)

Kinesin
(Motor Protein)
Microtubule

Fast Axonal Transport

Vesicle
Kinesin

Vesicle

Microtubule
Hirokawa, N. (1998). Kinesin and dynein superfamily
proteins and the mechanism of organelle transport,
Science, 279, 519-526, Figure 1, p. 519.
Setou, M., Nakagawa, T., Seog, D., & Hirokawa, N.
(2000). Kinesin superfamily motors protein KIF17 and
mLin-10 in NMDA receptor-containing vesicle
transport. Science, 288, 1796-1800, Figure 7, p. 1800.

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Anterograde Movement

Kinesin

Soma Axon Terminal

Retrograde Movement

Dynein

Soma Axon Terminal

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Actin Filament
(in Axon Terminal)

Myosin Va

Microtubule

Axon Terminals

Axon Terminal
(Terminal Button)

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Axon Terminal
Transporter Proteins
Mitochondrion

Actin Filament
Ion Channels Vesicle

Neurotransmitter

Microtubule

Adhesion Molecules

Ion Channels Receptor

The Synapse

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The Synapse
Synaptic Cleft

Adhesion
Presynaptic Terminal Molecules Postsynaptic Dendrite

The Synapse

Presynaptic Terminal Postsynaptic Cell Presynaptic Terminal Postsynaptic Cell

Rizzoli, S.O., & Betz, W. (2005). Synaptic vesicle pools. Nature Reviews
Neuroscience, 6, 57-69. Figure 5.

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Glia

Astrocytes
Blood-brain barrier & structural and nutritional roles

BVL = Blood Vessel

Heneka, M. T., Rodríguez, J. J., & Verkhratsky, A. Nave, K. A. (2010). Myelination and the trophic support of long axons.
(2010). Neuroglia in neurodegeneration. Brain Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 11(4), 275-283. Figure 2b.
research reviews, 63(1), 189-211. Figure 3.

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The Blood-Brain Barrier

Tight junction restricts
passage of water-soluble
molecules.

Lipid-soluble agents (e.g., fats) and

some gasses (CO2) can passively
move through membrane.
Basal Lamina

Pericyte
Blood in Capillary
Glucose Astrocyte

Active transport of larger molecules

(e.g., glucose, amino acids, insulin).

Neuron

Endothelial Cell

Based on: Abbott, N. J., Rönnbäck, L., & Hansson, E. (2006). Astrocyte–endothelial interactions
at the blood–brain barrier. Nature reviews neuroscience, 7(1), 41. Fig 2 & 3, p. 43 & 44.

Astrocytes
Synapse isolation, chemical interaction and synchronization

Tripartite
Synapse
Astrocyte

Neuron
Neuron

Tripartite Synapse

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The Tripartite Synapse

Halassa, M. M., Fellin, T., & Haydon, P. G. (2007). The tripartite

synapse: roles for gliotransmission in health and disease. Trends
in molecular medicine, 13(2), 54-63. Figure 1, p. 55.

Oligodendrocytes
Myelin Sheath

Node of
Ranvier
Oligodendrocyte

Neuron

Neuron
Axon
Myelin Sheath

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Schwann Cells

Neuron
Node of Ranvier

Schwann Cell Forming

Axon
a Myelin Sheath

Schwann Cells

Schwann Cell
Forming a
Myelin Sheath

Axon

Jessen, K. R., & Mirsky, R. (1999). Schwann cells and their

precursors emerge as major regulators of nerve development.
Trends in neurosciences, 22(9), 402-410. Figure 5.

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Microglia
cortex

corpus callosum

hippocampus

From: Kettenmann, H., Kirchhoff, F., & Verkhratsky, A. (2013).

Microglia: new roles for the synaptic stripper. Neuron, 77(1), 10-18.
Figure 1.

Development and Developmental

Removal of synapse removal of neuronal
precursors
Synapse

Removal of live
glioma cells

Neuronal Precursor

Glioma Cell
Microglia
Neutrophil

Neuron
Removal of
neutrophil

Removal of stressed-but-viable neurons

Modified from Brown, G. C., & Neher, J. J. (2014).
Microglial phagocytosis of live neurons. Nature Reviews
Neuroscience, 15(4), 209-216.Figure 2.

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Microglia and the Synapse

Kettenmann, H., Kirchhoff, F., & Verkhratsky, A. (2013). Microglia: new

roles for the synaptic stripper. Neuron, 77(1), 10-18. Figure 2.

Microglia and Synaptic Pruning

Synapse Dendritic
Spine

Axon

Microglia

Dendrite
Kettenmann, H., Kirchhoff, F., & Verkhratsky, A. (2013). Microglia:
new roles for the synaptic stripper. Neuron, 77(1), 10-18. Figure 3.

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Radial Glia
Surface of Cortex

Migrating
Neuron

Radial Glia

Malatesta, P., Hartfuss, E., & Gotz, M. (2000). Isolation of radial

Ventricle glial cells by fluorescent-activated cell sorting reveals a neuronal
lineage. Development, 127(24), 5253-5263. Figure 1B.

Polydendrocytes (NG2 Cells)

Precursors for Polydendrocyte
oligodendrocytes

Form synapses with

neurons

Oligodendrocyte
Help re-myelinate Neuron
axons after injury

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