Nervous Tissue

Nervous System

Nervous system

is specialized for the rapid

communication of information from
one region of the body to another
 Nervous System

Nervous system is divided anatomically into two

major components:
• Central nervous system (CNS) – consists of the
brain and spinal cord
• Peripheral nervous system (PNS) – peripheral
nerves and ganglia
 Nervous System
Nervous system is divided functionally into two major
components:
• Somatic nervous system – conscious voluntary movements
• Autonomic nervous system – regulates the functions of
internal organs - further divided into two subdivisions:
• Sympathetic nervous system – involved in functions
requiring quick responses (i.e., stress, impending danger,
and fight or flight response)
• Parasympathetic nervous system – regulates functions
that do not require a quick response
Although the CNS will be briefly examined, most of the
emphasize will be on the PNS.
 Neuron
The neuron is the structural and functional unit of the nervous system.
However, non-neural cells (i.e., glial cells) provide support and protection in
the CNS (oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, ependymal cells, and microglia) and
the PNS (Schwann cells and satellite cells).
 Central Nervous System

The central nervous system (CNS) consists of the

brain and the spinal cord.
 Central Nervous System

Brain
 Central Nervous System

SPINAL CORD
 Peripheral Nervous System

The peripheral nervous system (PNS) consists of peripheral nerves and ganglia
(clusters of nerve cell bodies)

Dorsal Ganglion
Dorsal root ganglia are clusters of nerve bodies of sensory neurons located alongside
the spinal cord
Is an aggregation pf sensory neurons located on each dorsal spinal root.
 Peripheral Nervous System

Parasympathetic nerves have their nerve cell bodies in small ganglia located
within the organ they innervate.

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