Nervous tissue

1- The Nervous tissue derived from ectoderm and distributed throughout the
body as an integrated communications network .
2- It’s consist of neurons, supporting cell (glia cells), and limited amount of
C.T containing a rich vascular supply.
3- Anatomically the N.S divided into :
a- Central nervous system (CNS) brain & spinal cord
b- Peripheral nervous system (PNS) all nervous tissue outside the CNS
 Cranial nerve
 Spinal nerve
 Ganglia ( aggregations of nerve cell bodies outside CNS )
4- The CNS nervous are supported by cell called “ neuroglia “, while PNS
includes all other nerve tissue and supporting cells Schwann’s cells or
satellite cells.
5- PNS interconnect all other tissue and organs with CNS.
6- Functionally the N.S divided into:

1- Somatic (voluntary ): somatic parts is concerined with the recept of

sensation and then formation of appropriate motor responsed that are
voluntary .
2- Autonomic parts (unvoluntary :1- sympathetic 2- parasympathetic) :
Regulated all other respond that are beyond unvoluntary control e.g nerve
supply of smooth, cardiac muscle, viscera and exocrine gland.

7- The human CNS contain more than 10 billion neuron and 50 billion glia
cells.
Histological structure:

1- Nerve cells (neurons )

 Functional and structural unit of nervous system vary in shape& size , cells
specialized to transmit messages.
 Each cells has cell body (perikaryon) and processes ( axon &dendrites ), there
processes of two type:
a- Dendrites usually branching & multiply from together with perikaryon the main area for
receipt impulses.
b- Axon :
 Most neurons have only one axon arise from axon hillock and ends at synapse with
other neuron or muscle cells.
 The hillock pyramid shaped region where axon begins, cytoplasm in this region
lacks organelles
 It’s cytoplasm called axoplasm & has no Golgi and nissel granules.
 Nerve cell
1- Soma or cell body
 It is formed by the spherical nucleus &surrounding by neuroplasm it has the
receptor function together with dendrites
 In most cases receiving stimuli generated in other nerve cells
 Nucleules arranged in a regular fashion around the nucleus
 A mass of granules called misst body usually distribution in the neuroplasm
of soma & dendrites , not in axon
 There are aggregates of ribosome or laugh endoplasmic reticulum,
neurofilament, neurotubules also present in cell body.

2- Nerve cell processes “ dendrites , axon “

The processes are dendrites usually multiple and single axon.
i- Dendrites : project form the cell body it’s give branches to increase the
receptive area carry impulse to the nerve cell, receiving stimuli from the
environment (sensory epithelium cells or other neurons).
ii- Axon : most neurons have only one axon , it’s a cylindrical process that
varies in length and diameter according to the type of neuron .
Conveys impulse away from the cell body to other neuron .
It other arise from the N.cell body at a region called axon hillock that
contains no nissl bodies in the axoplasm
The microtubules are arranged in paralled bundles with small cross brides
between adjacent microtubules
Axon vary from less than a micromoles to several microomete in diameter
Most axons are insullated by myelin sheath that distinguish there form
dendrites but other are un myelinated.
The cytological features :

1- Absence of centrosome for this reason the nerve cell is unable to divided .
2- The nerve cells acquire pigment granules in the cytoplasm in old age.
The nerve fiber:
They exist in the white matter (spinal cord , cranial nerve ) , they are myelined or
medullated covered by a myelin sheath.

The myelin sheath : it is a fatty material (phospholipid) and surround by the schwan
sheath just when this myelinated axon leaves the white matter and pass into a nerve
trunk, the Schwann sheath is fibrous in nature having flattened Schwann cells, the
constrictions in the nerve fiber (no myelin sheath ) is called node of Ranvier.

In C.S , the nerve fibers in nerve trunk arranged in the form of groups composing of
bundle or farsculus, each fanscicle has many nerve fibers jointed together by special C.T
, fiber the endoneurium, than each fascicle surround by C.T called perneurium the
fasciclus surrounded by C.T called epineurium.
 Classification of neurons
a- According to the number of their processes
1- Un polar neurons
Are rare in human, the axon and dendrite are in one pole, they found in the
embryonic stage and in adult they found only the spinal ganglia in the dorsal
root.

2- Bi polar neurons
Are sensory cell found in the retina of the eye and olfactory epithelium , they
are fusiform or spindle – shaped, the dendrite and axon exist at opposite pole.
However in embryos many of these bipolar neurons later undergo a process that
brings the axon and dendrite close together resulting in a cell that appears
unipolar but really is a modified bipolar cell called a pseudounipolar.
 3- Multi polar
typical neurons with soma that are irregular the shape depending on the number
of cell process, they are motor neurons, the dendrites all other
the side of the cell body interconnecting with neighbouring cells.

b- According to regional variation

Ex: pyramidal cell exist in cerebral cortex , these cells have pyramidal shaped
cell body and along standa axon project from them.
They have numerous dendrite with many long branches , has synabic terminate
from other cortical neurons.

Ex: purkinje cell: exist in the , each cell has around cell body , slender axon
,3-5 dendrites that divided into elaborate dendrites .

c- According to golgi
1- Golgi type I neurons
Have long axons that begin in the C.N.S and terminate a great distance in the
C.N.S or peripherally .
e.g anterior horn motor neuron & pyramided cell.

2- Golgi type II neurons

Have short axons that begin& end in restricted region with the C.N.S.
e.g Bipolar neuron.
d- according to the functional role

1- Sensory (afferent )neurons

Transmit impulse toward the C.N.S (unipolar neuron), cell body in ganglia outside C.N.S. e.g
skin , sensory organs , muscle, joints.

2- Motor (efferent neurons)

Carry impulse away from the C.N.S to effectors organs ( muscle or gland), most motor
neurons are multipolar.

3- Interneurons (association neurons)

Carry impulse from sensory to motor neurons located: in the brain or spinal cord,
multipolar lie between two neurons.

e-according to the shape of the nerve cell body

1- Pyriform ( cerebral purkinjei cell)
2- Pyramidal (cerebral neurons)
3- Stellate (most neurons)

Glial cells ( neuroglia)

1- These are supporting cell in between the nerve cell& fibers.
2- The function of neuroglia is to support , insulate and protect the delicate neurons
of the brain , sometime know as glia cells
3- The neuroglia of C.N.S are astrocytes , microglia , oligodendrocytes, and
ependymal cells.
4- The neuroglia of P.N.S are Schwann cell& satellite cells.
 Neuroglia of C.N.S
1- Astrocytes

Star-shape cells, those found in gray matter are of protoplasmic type.

While those found in white matter of fibrile type, have process radially from the cell body &
send fibril end with flattened sucker feet , play role in blood brain barrier .

2- Oligodendrocytes

Are relatively small cell, these cells have process that wrap around axons, producing a myelin
sheath.The process envelop near by axon to form myelin sheath found in gray &white matter.

3- Ependymal cells

Line the cavities of the brain & spinal cord ,form a layer of ciliated cuboidal or columnar
epithelium, which line the brain ventricle & canal of spinal cord , the spinal one or columnar
ciliated also have secretory function .

4- Microglia

Are small elongated cells with short irregular process & deep stain for nuclei, It originate from
mesoderm, they can transform into mobile phagocytic cells, They are involved with
inflammation & repair in the adult C.N.S.
Myelination P.N.S

1- The neurons in the peripheral N.S are enveloped by Schwann cells.

2- The Schwann cells grow around the axon to form myelin sheath, which made up of many
layers.
3- The myelin sheath of one axon is provided by many Schwann cells, each covering only a
small portion of the axon .
4- Between adjacent Schwann cells, along the sheath are short intervals where the axon is un
covered these space are called node of Ranvier , only at the nodes that the movement of ions
necessary for impulse conduction occur, some neurons of small diameter don’t become
myelinated , e.g axon

5- The Schwann cells are absent from the C.N.S where myelination is provided by
“oligodendrocytes”

Synapsis : they are the junctions between successive neurons , they occurs where axons
terminate on the dendrites and cell bodies of other neurons .
They are 4 types
1- Axodendritic synapse (join axon to dendrites)
2- Axosomatic synapse (join axon to nerve cell body )
3- Axo axonic synapse (join one axon to another axon)
4- Dendrodritic synapse ( join one dendrite to another dendrite).
 Electromicrograph show narrow gap about 10-20nm, across called “synaptic cleft
between the pre& post synaptic neuron .
The presynaptic side have mitochondria vesicle which contain neurotransmitter which
enable impulse to cross the synaptic cleft to the postsynaptic neuron.

When action postential reach the presynaptic membrane, it stimulates the release of the
vesicle which contain the neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine & norepinephrine.

C.N.S capillaries
1. C.N.S tissue has a high metabolic rate therefore , consumes substantial amount of
O2.
2. The entire brain , parenchyma is laced with capillaries that communicate with
arterioles that branch from large B.V in the subarachnoid space (the blood –brain
barrier)prevent macromolecule in the capillaries from entering the
3. the brain parenchyma it also prevent, entrance of the drugs and the parenchyma .

spinal cord
1- the substance of the cord is differentiated into a central zone that
surround the central canal and called “grey matter” , it has H-shaped
projecting dorsally into two long dorsal horns and ventrally into flat &
short ventral horns .
2- the cross of the H, passing transversely above and below the central
canal are called the dorsal & ventral commissures .
3- the grey matter contains nerve bodies with the arborization of their
dendrite and neuroglia cells.
4- The axon of the neurons pass along the dorsal & ventral horns and the
axon become surrounded by myelin sheath & neurolemna to form
myelinated nerve fibers.
5- The white matter is entirely composed of the medullated nerve fibers.
6- The inner most layer of the spinal cord is the pia matter it is carries the
main blood supply for the C.N.S.

C.s in spinal cord