Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1. Brain
2. Spinal cord
3. Nerves
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/images/ency/fullsize/19588.jpg
Functions of the Nervous System
• Detect changes (stimuli) in the internal or
external environment
• Evaluate the information
• Initiate a change in muscles or glands
http://astrocyte.info/astrocytes1.jpg
Blood-Brain Barrier
• Helps maintain stable environment for
normal brain function
• “feet” of astrocytes wrap around capillaries
in brain
• Regulates passage of ions
• Water, oxygen, CO2, glucose and alcohol
pass freely
• Important for drug research
– Parkinson’s Disease
Microglia (12-3B)
• Engulf and destroy cellular debris
(phagocytosis)
• Enlarge during times of inflammation and
degeneration
Ependymal cells (12-3C)
• Similar to epithelial cells
• Forms thin sheets that line the fluid-filled
cavities of the brain and spinal cord
• Some cells help produce the fluid that fills
these cavities (cerebral spinal fluid - CSF)
• Cilia may be present to help circulate fluid
http://www.lab.anhb.uwa.edu.au/mb140/corepages/nervous/Images/epen100he.jpg
Oligodendrocytes (12-3D)
• Hold nerve fibers together
• Produce myelin sheaths in CNS
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XzEk6ORFLFg/SUQ4IitreiI/AAAAAAAAAD4/XrmtzSv1eGU/s400/article_ms_01.gif
http://blustein.tripod.com/Oligodendrocytes/08-zoom.jpg
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Most common myelin disorder
• Characterized by:
– myelin loss and destruction injury and
death plaque like lesions
– Impaired nerve conduction weakness, loss
of coordination, vision and speech problems
– Remissions & relapses
• Autoimmune or viral infection
• Women 20-40 yrs
• No known cure
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
http://www.riversideonline.com/source/images/image_popup/ww5r308_big.jpg
Schwann cells (12-3E)
• Only in PNS
• Support nerve fibers & form myelin
sheaths
• Satellite cells (12-3G)
– Types of schwann cell that covers a neuron’s
cell body
http://legacy.owensboro.kctcs.edu/gcaplan/anat/images/Image425.gif
Neurons
All neurons have 3 parts:
1. Cell body (soma)
2. Axon
3. One or more dendrites
Neuron Anatomy
• Soma resembles other cells
• Nissl bodies – part of rough ER; contain
proteins necessary for nerve signal
transmission & nerve regeneration
• Dendrites – branch out from soma;
receptors; conduct impulse towards soma
• Axon – process that extends from the soma
at a tapered portion called the axon hillock
– Axon collaterals: side branches
– Telodendria: distal branches of axon
– Synaptic knob: ends of telodendria
http://academic.kellogg.edu/
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Neuron Anatomy
• Myelin sheaths: areas of insulation
produced by Schwann cells; increases
speed of nerve impulse
– Myelinated = white matter
– Unmyelinated = gray matter
• Nodes of Ravier: breaks in myelin sheath
btwn Schwann cells
• Synapse: junction btwn two neurons or
btwn a neuron and an effector
http://academic.kellogg.edu/
herbrandsonc/bio201_mckin
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Structural Classification of Neurons
• Multipolar
– One axon, several dendrites
– Most numerous
• Bipolar
– One axon, one dendrite
– Least numerous
– Retina, inner ear, olfactory pathway
• Unipolar
– Axon is a single process that branches into a central
process (towards CNS) and a peripheral process
(towards PNS)
– Dendrites at distal end of peripheral process
– Always sensory neurons
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Functional Classification of
Neurons
• Afferent
– Sensory
– Towards CNS
• Efferent
– Motor
– Towards muscles & glands
• Interneurons
– Connect afferent & efferent neurons
– Lie within CNS
Nerves vs Tracts
• Nerves – bundles of parallel neurons held
together by fibrous CT in the PNS
• Tracts – bundles of parallel neurons in the
CNS
Warm Up 1/7
List the 5 types of glial cells and a key
word/phase for each.