Histology of Nervous

Tissue

PROF. DR. FAUZIAH OTHMAN

DEPT OF HUMAN ANATOMY
 Feature of nerves tissue
 Type of cell: neuron & neuroglia
 General feature of neuron
 Type of neuroglia: astrocyte, oligodendrocyte,
ependymal cell, microglia
 Synapses
 Myelin – formation & function
 General structure of peripheral nerves
 Ganglia – dorsal root ganglia
 & autonomic ganglia
 Nervous system divided into:

 Central nervous system (CNS)

Brain and spinal cord

 Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

 Cranial and spinal nerves – locate outside the CNS.
Morphology of typical neuron
 Neuron functional cell of the nervous tissue.

 Cell body or perikaryon - contains the nucleus – regulates

the functioning of the neuron.
 Numerous dendrites and a single axon.
 Contains Nissl bodies in the cytoplasm
 Axon hillock- no Nissl bodies

 Axon – cellular process (extension) – carries impulses away

from the cell body.

 Dendrites – cellular process (extension) – carries impulses

toward the cell body
2 types of cell

i) Neurons (nerve cells)

ii) Supporting cells

Functions of neurons

1) specialized to receive stimuli and to conduct electrical

impulses to other parts of the system.
2) Arranged as an integrated communications network, with
several neurons in a chain-like fashion involved in sending
impulses from one part of the system to another.
Neuron Classification

 Structural:
 Multipolar – most common type in CNS.
 Include all motor neurons and interneurons of brain and
spinal cord.

 Bipolar- not as common purely sensory.

 Retina of eye, inner ear, olfactory epithelium in the
upper region of nose.

 Unipolar (formerly known as pseudounipolar)

 Sensory neurons found in numerous craniosacral ganglia
of the spinal cord.
Comparison of Structural Classes
of Neurons
Comparison of Structural Classes of
Neurons
Comparison of Structural Classes of
Neurons
Unipolar neuron
Nucleus &
nucleolus

Cytoplasm

fibrocytes

Satellite
cells

Cytoplasm of
neuron

Myelinated axons
The supporting cells (neuroglia or
glia):

 Astrocytes
 Oligodendrocytes
CNS
 Microglial cells
 Ependymal cells
 Schwann cells
 Satellite cells PNS
Astrocytes

 Largest, most numerous, versatile, and

highly branched glial cells
 They cling to neurons and cover capillaries
 Functionally, they:
 Support and brace neurons
 Anchor neurons to their nutrient supplies
 Guide migration of young neurons
 Control the chemical environment
Astrocytes
Microglia

 Microglia – smallest, ovoid cells with spiny processes

- phagocytic cells that migrate through the CNS and
remove foreign and degenerated material
Ependymal Cells
 Ependymal cells – squamous- to columnar-
shaped cells
 They line the central cavities of the brain and
spinal column
Oligodendrocytes

 Oligodendrocytes – branched cells that wrap CNS

nerve fibers
- Produce myelin in CNS
Schwann Cells and Satellite Cells

 Schwann cells (neurolemmocytes) – form myelin

sheaths around peripheral axons

 Satellite cells surround neuron cell bodies with

ganglia
 Synapse
 The region where the terminals come close to
another cell and transmit the impulse

 A junction that mediates information transfer from one

neuron:
 To another neuron

 To an effector cell
 Presynaptic neuron – conducts impulses toward the synapse
 Postsynaptic neuron – transmits impulses away from the
synapse
Myelin – formation & function
 Whitish, fatty (protein-lipid), segmented
sheath around most long axons
 Its function:
1. Protection of the axon
2. Electrically insulating fibers from one
another
3. Increasing the speed of nerve impulse
transmission
2 types of neuroglia produce
myelin
 CNS= Oligodendrocyte
 PNS= Schwann cells