NERVOUS TISSUE

- forms the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. It is responsible for coordinating and controlling many
body activities which consists of neurons and support cells

NT responsible for:

1. conscious control of skeletal muscle.

2. Unconscious regulation of cardiac muscle
3. Awareness of ourselves and the external environment, emotions, reasoning skills, and
memory are other functions.
 action potentials- a rapid sequence of changes in the voltage across a
membrane.
 Neuron or nerve cell- responsible for conducting action potentials

Three parts of neuron:

a. Cell body- contains the nucleus and is the site of general cell functions.
b. Dendrites- receive stimuli leading to electrical changes that either increase
or decrease action potentials in the neuron’s axon.
c. Axons- nerve cell processes (extensions)
 Glia (glue) or neuroglia are the support cells of the nervous system; they surround,
nourish, protect, and insulate the neurons
(considered nervous tissue in greater detail in chapter 8)

How does nervous tissue operate?

- Nervous tissue functions by transmitting electrical impulses (action potentials) along neurons.
Neuroglial cells provide support, protection ang nourishment for neurons. Synapses, which are
specialized junctions between neurons, allow for the transmission of information from one
neuron to another or to target cells (muscles or other neurons) using chemical
neurotransmitters.

TISSUE MEMBRANES
 - a thin sheet or layer of tissue that covers a structure or lines a cavity.

- Most membranes consist of epithelium and the connective tissue on which the epithelium
rests.

four tissue membranes in the body; one external and three internal.

external tissue membrane

1. skin or cutaneous membrane- composed of stratified squamous epithelium and dense

connective tissue. (further discussion in chapter 5)

Internal tissue membrane

2. Mucous membranes line cavities that open to the outside of the body,
such as the digestive, respiratory, and reproductive tracts.
- consist of epithelial cells, their basement membrane, and a thick layer
of loose connective tissue.
- Some contain a layer of smooth muscle cells and goblet cells or
multicellular mucous glands that secrete mucus.
- The functions vary depending on their location, but they include
protection, absorption, and secretion.

Example:
a. stratified squamous epithelium of mucous
membranes in mouth performs a protective
function
b. simple columnar epithelium of the mucous
membrane in the intestines absorbs nutrients
and secretes digestive enzymes and mucus.
c. Mucous membranes also line the nasal
passages. When it becomes inflamed, we experience the “runny nose”

3. Serous (producing watery secretion) membranes line cavities that do not open to the exterior of
the body, does not contain glands, but they secrete a small amount of fluid called serous fluid,
which lubricates (smoothens) the surface of the membranes
Three serous cavities
a. the pericardial (heart)
b. pleural (lungs)
c. peritoneal cavities (most organs of the abdomen).

three components:
a. a layer of simple squamous epithelium,
b. its basement membrane
c. delicate layer of loose connective tissue.
4. Synovial membranes line the cavities of freely movable joints
 - They are made up of only connective tissue and consist of
modified connective tissue cells.
- either continuous with the dense connective tissue of the joint
capsule or separated from the capsule by areolar or adipose
tissue.
- produce synovial fluid

(Synovial and other connective tissue membranes are discussed in

chapter 6.)

EFFECTS OF AGING ON TISSUES

o As we age, the number of neurons and muscle cells decreases substantially.

o At the tissue level, age-related changes affect cells and the extracellular matrix produced
by them
o connective tissues with abundant collagen, such as tendons and ligaments, become less
flexible and more fragile
o Elastic connective tissues become less elastic when its fibers break apart and bind to
Ca2+
o The walls of arteries become less elastic
o Atherosclerosis results as plaques form in the walls of blood vessels

Questions:

1. A cell that surrounds, nourish and insulate neurons

a. Glia cells
2. An external type of tissue membrane
a. Skin
3. It is a a thin sheet or layer of tissue that covers a structure or lines a cavity.
a. Tissue membrane
4. A serous cavity which protects the heart
a. Pericardial
5. Line cavities that open to the outside of the body, such as the digestive, respiratory, and
reproductive tracts.
a. Mucous membrane
6. forms the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. It is responsible for coordinating and controlling many
body activities which consists of neurons and support cells
a. Nervous tissue
7. All are types of internal membrane, except
a. Cutaneous membrane
8. Injuries in the very young heal more rapidly and more completely than in older people
a. True
9. a rapid sequence of changes in the voltage across a membrane.
a. Action potential
10. As we age, the number of neurons and muscle cells increases substantially
b. false