Cells of the nervous system Flashcards
What are nerves
Bundles of nerve fibres which carry electrical impulses from one part of the body to the other.
What are dendrites
Nerve fibres that receive nerve impulses and carry them towards the cell body.
What are axons
An axons is a nerve fibre which carries impulses away from the cell body.
what is the direction of impulse in a nerve
Dendrite - cell body - axon
What is the purpose of a myelin sheath
It insulates the axon and speeds up impulse conduction from node to node.
What makes up a myelin sheath
cells that lie around the fibre and contain a fatty material that insulate the fibre inside it.
What is myelination
the development of the myelin sheath. It is not complete at birth and myelination occurs from birth to adolescence.
Name a disease that affects the myelin sheath
Multiple sclerosis destroys the myelin sheath causing loss of coordination
What are glial cells
The provide physical support for neurons and are involved in the production of myelin sheaths.
