Brain Bee Flashcards
What are the brain’s three layers of protection?
Bones, meninges and ventricles
What are the two bones that protect the CNS?
Cranium and vertebrae
What is the durable outermost layer of the meninges?
The Dura Mater
What is the thin, delicate, 2nd layer of the meninges?
The Arachnoid Mater
What are the Pia Mater and Arachnoid Mater collectively known as?
The Leptomeninges
What is the space between the Dura Mater and Arachnoid Mater known as?
The subdural space
What is the thin, innermost layer of the meninges that adheres directly to the brain, going deep into its grooves?
The Pia Mater
What is the important area between the arachnoid mater and pia mater that is filled with blood vessels and fine tissue projections known as?
subarachnoid space
What are the fine tissue projections that connect the dura mater and arachnoid mater, and circulate CSF known as?
trabeculae
What are neurons/nerve cells in charge of?
Transmitting and integrating information in the brain.
What are dendrites?
Branched extensions of a nerve cell that receive inputs from other neurons
What is the cell body/soma?
A part of a neuron that contains the nucleus and other organelles. It is where all the dendrites converge and their electrical inputs are combined.
What are axons?
A single (often long) process which branches to form terminals that contact other neurons and/or cells.
What are terminals?
The endings of the axon through which many neurons signal information to the next cell, generally using chemical neurotransmitters.
What cells make up gray matter?
Neurons
What cells make up white matter?
Glial cells
What do glial cells do?
Maintain an optimal environment for neuronal function, by protecting neutrons, providing structural support,, scavenging debris, managing waste and supplying them with nutrients.
What types of glia are found in the CNS?
Astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes and ependymal cells
What types of glia are found in the PNS?
Schwann cells and satellite cells
What do astrocytes do?
Deliver nutrients from the blood to neurons and take waste products.
Control the chemical environment, like ions and transmitters, around neurons and other brain cells (the “extracellular environment” or “microenvironment”) to keep them healthy and regulate metabolism.
Responsible for controlling capillary blood flow, which in turn modulates the flow of chemicals between blood and neurons.
Astrocytes play an important role in repair and scarring of nerve cells in the CNS
Astrocytes provide a buffer reserve of “fuel” for cells as they contain glycogen (a large molecule made of glucose sub-unit molecules) which they can break down to release glucose during periods of high demand by neurons.
They also regulate excess K+ homeostasis.
What do oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells do?
Provide a myelin sheath to insulate the axon of neurons, allowing faster connections. They also provide trophic support to neurons through secretion of neurotrophic factors.
Contribute towards maintaining an optimal extracellular environment
What are microglia?
Specialized immune cells that make up the main active immune defense mechanism in the CNS.
A particluar type of macrophage (special white blood cells) only present in the CNS.
What do microglia do?
They scavenge cell debris from dying neurons and other glial cells and are the “first responders” when there is damage to the CNS. The scavenging actions of microglia can prevents the build up of toxic waste substances but may also contribute to neurodegeneration.
They constantly and rapidly reorganize their shape by changing their processesdue signalling from K+ channel signals, this allows them to very efficiently scan the local environment to identify any insults to the CNS. their cell body doesn’t change shape, so that it doesn’t disturb local neuronal circuits.
Microglia play important roles in regulating the development of the brain after birth, and in brain plasticity in adulthood.
What do ependymal cells do?
Line the brain’s fluid spaces (ventricles) to form a slight barrier between the fluid spaces and the cells, while producing CSF.
Ependymal cells have cilia, little hair-like organelles that face the cavity of the ventricles. The cilia time their movement to direct CSF and are can influence the distribution of neurotransmitters to neurons.
Some ependymal cells can divide and form neurons through the life of a cell, allowing neuroregeneration to occur.
These support cells can provide an environment that protects axon stumps from degeneration after damage, allowing alternate neuronal connections to grow and restore function.