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Yr2 Neuro MA > Cells and tissues of the nervous system > Flashcards

Cells and tissues of the nervous system Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 2 main types of cells associated with the nervous system

A

Neurons:

  • Structural and functional unit
  • Excitable cells
  • Impulses carried as action potentials

Glial cells:

  • Non-excitable supporting cells
  • Much smaller than neurons
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2
Q

A typical neurone has _______ dendrite(s) and ______ axon(s)

A

Multiple dendrites and one axon

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3
Q

Identify the parts of a neuron

A
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4
Q

In which direction do action potentials travel in a neuron?

A

In one direction only, from the cell body to the synaptic terminals at the end

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5
Q

What are the 3 types of neuron?

A

Multipolar, Bipolar, Pseudounipolar

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6
Q

What types of nerves use Multipolar neurones?

A

Motor neurones

Interneurons

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7
Q

What nerves use pseudounipolar neurones?

A

Sensory neurones are pseudounipolar

Cell bodies are contained in Ganglia

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8
Q

What are bipolar neurones used for?

A

Olfactory mucosa

Retinal nerve fibres

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9
Q

What is contained in the cell body of neurones?

Describe the main features of each

A

Nucleus:

  • Loose chromatin, prominent nucleolus

Organelles:

  • Mitochondria (v metabolically active so needs them)
  • Ribosomes
  • rER (Nissl bodies)
  • Diffuse Golgi apparatus
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10
Q

What is the cytoplasm called in the cell body and axon?

A

Cell body = Perikaryon

Axon = axoplasm

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11
Q

Neurones are long-living but are ‘amitotic’

What does this mean?

A

They don’t regenerate

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12
Q

What is the purpose of myelin?

A

The Myelin sheath envelopes the axon to increase the conduction speed through ‘saltatory conduction’

Axons can be myelinated or un-myelinated

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13
Q

What types of Glial cells produce the myelin sheath around neurones?

A

PNS = Schwann cells

CNS = Oligodendrocytes

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14
Q

De-myelination of axons is associated with what disease?

A

Multiple sclerosis

MRI will show white patches of demyelination

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15
Q

Identify the labels in the cross section of the spinal cord

A
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16
Q

What is mainly found in the white matter of the spinal cord?

Why is this area white?

A

Bundles of myelinated axons

Myelin comes from the cell membranes of oligodendrocytes that are in the white matter

Cell membranes are made of phospholipids which is whitey in colour

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17
Q

What is found in the grey matter of the spinal cord?

A

Neuronal cell bodies

These aren’t enveloped in myelin - so are grey instead of white

18
Q

Identify the labels

A

Remember that nuclei show up as deep purple on stains. You can see the nuclei in the cell bodies.

The axons are lighter purple and have a white band around them. The white band is the myelin sheath

19
Q

In the white matter of the spinal cord, you will find tracts.

What are these?

A

Axons with Different modalities of sensory and motor impulses are bundled together to form tracts in the white matter

Different tracts carry impulses up/down at different speeds related to what they carry information for.

EG - One of the ascending (sensory) tracts carries touch and pressure impulses

20
Q

What are these arrows pointing at?

A

Nuclei in the brain

This name is given to any collection of grey matter (cell bodies) within the Central nervous system

21
Q

What are the types of Glial cells in the CNS?

A

Astrocytes (most common)

Oligodendrocytes

Microglia

Ependymal cells

22
Q

What do astrocytes do?

A

Astrocytes (‘star-cells’) are the most numerous glial cells in the CNS that have projections that have ‘end feet’

These surround synapses and localise the release of neurotransmitters (stop the activation of other neurons/leaking etc)

They also surround capillaries and help in K+ buffering (blood-brain barrier)

23
Q

What do Oligodendrocytes do?

A

These are large glial cells that produce myelin to envelop axons in the CNS

The myelin is just taken from their cell membrane.

24
Q

What is the function of Microglia?

A

Microglia are CNS glial cells that are involved with immune defence and repair. Their functions are:

  • Phagocytosis
  • Scar tissue formation

They look similar to astrocytes but are smaller

25
Q

What is the function of ependymal cells?

A

Glial cell that that forms the epithelial lining of the ventricles (cavities) in the brain and the central canal of the spinal cord

So they aren’t actually within the CNS but pretty much are

It is involved in the production of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

26
Q

What are the types (and their functions) of glial cell found in the PNS (hehe)?

A

Schwann cells:

  • Myelination of axons everywhere except brain & SC
  • Analogous to Oligodendrocytes except look different

Satellite cells:

  • Surround neuronal cell bodies
  • Their role is kinda similar to astrocytes in the CNS
27
Q

Where specifically are Satellite cells found in the PNS hehe?

A

cover the surface of nerve cell bodies in sensory, sympathetic, and parasympathetic ganglia

28
Q

What is the blood-brain barrier?

A

Highly selective semipermeable border that separates the circulating blood from the brain and extracellular fluid in the central nervous system

It Prevents harmful amino acids & ions present in the bloodstream and blood cells from entering the brain.

29
Q

Identify the features of the blood-brain barrier that make it work

30
Q

Is the Blood-brain barrier present in all parts of the brain?

A

Nah fam

BBB is absent in a few ‘circumventricular’ organs: parts of the hypothalamus, posterior pituitary

31
Q

Identify the basic sections of the brain in the diagram

32
Q

Highlight the basic functions of each section of the brain

33
Q

What are the sections of the brain stem?

A

Midbrain

Pons

Medulla oblongata

34
Q

What are the ventricles of the brain?

A

Literally just spaces inside the brain

Filled with CSF

35
Q

List the groups of ventricles

A

2 Lateral Ventricles :

  • C shaped
  • One in each hemisphere of the cerebrum

3rd Ventricle:

  • Created from joining of the 2 lateral ventricles
  • Situated within the Diencephalon

4th ventricle:

  • Joined to 3rd via Cerebral aqueduct (in midbrain)
  • Diamond-shaped
  • Situated in hind brain
36
Q

Identify the labels on this diagram of the ventricles n shit

37
Q

Give a detailed description of where the 4th ventricle is situated

A

Between Pons + medulla (in front) and Cerebellum (at the back) = IV ventricle

38
Q

Identify the layers of the meninges in the picture

Give some info about each layer and the spaces between them

A

Dura mater - tough, fibrous and has dural folds.

Pia mater - vascularised and dips into the folds of the brain.

Subdural space - a potential space which is traversed by blood vessels penetrating into the CNS

Subarachnoid space - contains cerebrospinal fluid

39
Q

Where is CSF produced and absorbed?

A

Produced - by choroid plexus in each ventricle

Absorbed - by Arachnoid villi into saggital sinus (venous channel in brain)

Yr2 Neuro MA (35 decks)

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