Week 5 histology:

Peripheral nervous system:

PNS has:
- Nerves
- Ganglia
- Nerve endings

1- Nerve fibers
- Like tracts in CNS
- Axons enclosed by schwann cells (neurolemmocytes)
- May or may not have myelin acc. To diameter
a- Myelinated fibers:
o As the diameter of the axon increases, neurolemmocytes differentiate and
become myelinated
o The plasma membrane and cytoplasm wraps around the axon then as the cell
body moves circumferentially the p. mem. Fuses with itself and forms a mesaxon
and starts wrapping to form a thick myelin sheath.
o So myelin is formed of p. mem mainly and this is lipid bilayers and membrane
proteins=> myelin is lipoprotein complex
o Schwann cell forms myelin around only a portion of one axon
o Major dense lines: fused protein rich cytoplasmic surfaces of schwann cells
o Myelin clefts: where the major dense lines periodically separate to allow
transient movement of cytoplasm for maintenance.
o Schwann cells membranes have too much lipids more than others
o Myelin sheath function:
§ Insulate axons
§ Maintain constant ionic microenvironment suitable for APs
o Between schwann cells there are nodes of ranvier
§ Here the axolemma is exposed to ions in the interstitial fluid with high
Na+ channels conc.
• Renew AP and produce saltatory conduction of impulses and
cause rapid movement from node to node
o Internodal segment: the length of axon sheathed by one Schwann cell
b- Unmyelinated fibers:
o Axons are enveloped with simple folds of Schwann cells but without multiple
wrapping thus nodes are not seen in small-diameter axons
o No myelin sheath
o No saltatory impulse conduction and they are slower

2- Nerve organization:
- In PNS multiple nerve fibers join to form nerves
o White glistening due to myelin and collagen content
- axon is covered by schwann cell and both are covered by multiple layers of connective
tissue:
o endoneurium:
§ around schwann cells
§ reticular fibers, scattered fibroblasts and capillaries
- group of axons and schwann cells and endoneurium form a fascicle covered by:
o perineurium:
§ flat fibrocytes connected by tight junctions
§ 2-6 layers of connective tissue
§ Regulate diffusion into fascicle
§ Make up blood-nerve barrier maintain microenvironment
- Group of fascicles and nerves are covered by:
o Epineurium:
§ Dense Irregular fibrous coat
§ Fills space between fascicles
- Very small nerves have only one fascicle
- PNS communicates with CNS and have:
o Afferent fibers: info from internal body organs and environment to CNS
o Efferent: from CNS to effector organs
o Sensory nerves: only sensory fibers
o Motor nerves: only fibers carrying impulses to effectors
o Mixed nerves: have both, with both myelinated and unmyelinated axons

3- Ganglia:
- Ovoid structures containing
o Cell bodies + glial satellite cells
- Have delicate CT and denser capsule
- Relay stations to transmit nerve impulses
- One nerve enters and one leaves each ganglion
- Direction of impulse det. If ganglion is sensory or autonomic

a- Sensory ganglion:
o Receive efferent impulses going to CNS
o Have cranial nerves (ganglia) and dorsal roots of spinal nerves (ganglia)
o Neuronal cells bodies are ass. With small glial satellite cells
o Supported by distinct CT capsule and internal framework cont. with CT of nerves
o Pseudounipolar neurons
o Relay info from ganglion to gray matter of spinal cord through synapses with
local neurons
b- Autonomic ganglia:
o Nerves affecting involuntary actions done by smooth muscle
§ Secretion of glands
§ Heart rate
o Maintain homeostasis
 o Multipolar neurons
o Some located in certain organs
§ Digestive tract walls: constitute intramural ganglia
o Poorly defined capsules
o Have a layer of satellite cells although not v. imp
o Have 2 neuron circuit:
§ Preganglionic fiber: in CNS and synapses with
• acetylcholine
§ Postganglionic fiber: in Peripheral ganglion system
o Make up autonomic nervous system which has 2 parts:
§ Sympathetic
• Cell bodies of preganglionic n. in thoracic and lumbar regions of
spinal cord
• Second neurons in small ganglia in v. column
§ Parasympathetic
• In medulla and midbrain and in sacral part
• Second neurons found in v. small ganglia near or within effector
organs (walls of stomach and intestines)
• May lack distinct capsules
• Perikaryal and satellite cells form loose plexus in CT

4- Neural plasticity and regeneration:

- Generally stable however neurons have some differentiation and formaton of new
synapses even in adults
- In embryos, excess neurons are made and cells with incorrect synapses are removed by
apoptosis
- After an injury, new neuronal processes grow and new synapses and recover
- This is neural plasticity and reformation of processes and controlled by proteins called
neurotrophins
- Neuronal stem cells are present in CNS in cells of ependyma and supply new neurons,
astrocytes and oligodendrocytes
- In simple peripheral nerves more regeneration but in CNS fully diff. ones it is hard
- Cellular debris are removed by macrophages which secrete neurotrophins to promote
anabolic axon regeneration
- Regeneration is signaled by changes in perikaryon by process called chromotolysis
o Cell body swells
o Nissl subst. diminishes
o Nucleus migrates to peripheral position in perikaryon
o Proximal seg. Of axon degenerates then regrows as new nissl subst. appears and
debris is removed
o New schwann cells align and produce polypep factors to promote axonal growth
o Motor axons reestablish synapses with muscles and function restored