Ch 11: Nervous System Flashcards
List the types of neuroglia and cite their functions.
- Astrocytes (CNS)
- Microglial cells (CNS)
- Ependymal cells (CNS)
- Oligodendrocytes (CNS)
- Satellite cells (PNS)
- Schwann cells (PNS)
How are neurotransmitters classified?
- Chemical structure
2. Function
What is the overall purpose of the nervous system?
- Master controlling and communicating system of body
2. Cells communicate via electrical and chemical signals
List the basic functions of the nervous system
- Sensory input
- Integration
- Motor output
What is the purpose of sensory input for the nervous system?
Information gathered by sensory receptors about internal or external changes
What is the purpose of integration for the nervous system?
Processing and interpretation of sensory imput
What is the purpose of motor output for the nervous system?
Activation of effector organs producing a response
What are structure and function of the CNS?
- Brain and spinal cord
2. Integration and control center
What are structure of the PNS?
Consists mainly of nerves that extend from brain and spinal cord (spinal and cranial nerves)
What are the functional divisions of the PNS?
Sensory (afferent)
Motor (efferent)
What is the sensory division of the PNS comprised of?
Somatic and Visceral
What is the difference between somatic and visceral?
Somatic: Convey impulses from skin, skeletal muscles, and joints to CNS
Visceral: Convey impulses from visceral organs to CNS
What is the motor division of the PNS?
Transmits impulses from CNS to effector organs
What is the 2 divisions of the motor division?
- Somatic NS
2. Autonomic NS
Describe the Somatic NS
- Conducts impulses from CNS to skeletal muscle
- Voluntary NS
- Somatic motor nerve fibers
Describe the Autonomic NS
- Visceral motor nerve fibers
- Regulates smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glands
- Involuntary NS
What are the 2 subdivisions of ANS?
- Sympathetic
2. Parasympathetic
What’s the difference between sympathetic and parasympathetic ns?
Sym: Mobilizes body systems during activity
Para: Conserves energy and promotes house-keeping functions during rest
What are the 2 principal cell types of the nervous system?
- Neuroglia
2. Neurons
What the difference between neuroglia and neurons?
Neuroglia: small cells that surround and wrap delicate neuron
Neurons: excitable cells that transmit electrical signals
What are astrocytes?
Most abundant versatile, highly branched glial cells that cling to neurons, synaptic endings, and capillaries
What are the functions of astrocytes?
- Support and brace neurons.
- Play role in exchanges between capillaries and neurons.
- Guide migration of young neurons.
- Control chemical environment around neurons.
- Respond to nerve impulses and neurotransmitters.
- Influence neuronal functioning.
What are microglial cells?
- Small, ovoid cells with thorny processes that touch and monitor neurons
- Migrate toward injured neurons
- Can transform to phagocytize microorganisms and neuronal debris
What are ependymal cells?
- Line the central cavities of the brain and spinal column.
- Form permeable barrier between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in cavities and tissue fluid bathing CNS cells.
What are oligodendrocytes?
- Branched cells.
2. Processes wrap CNS nerve fibers, forming insulating myelin sheaths thicker nerve fibers.
What are satellite cells?
- Surround neuron cell bodies in PNS.
2. Function similar to astrocytes of CNS.
What are Schwann cells (neurolemmocytes)?
- urround all peripheral nerve fibers and form myelin sheaths in thicker nerve fibers.
- Vital to regeneration of damaged peripheral nerve fibers.
What is the structural units of nervous systems?
Neurons
What are the characteristics of neurons?
- Extreme longevity
- Amitotic
- High metabolic rate
- All have cell bodies
What is the soma (cell body) of the neuron?
Biosynthetic center of neuron
What’s the difference between the nuclei and ganglia?
Nuclei: clusters of neural cell bodies in CNS
Ganglia: lie along nerves in PNS
What is the difference between neuron processes in CNS and PNS?
- CNS: tracts
2. PNS: Nerves
What are the 2 processes?
- Dendrites
2. Axon
What are the properties of dendrites?
- Short, tapering, diffusely branched processes
- Receptive (input) region
- Convey incoming messages as graded potential
What is the axon hillock?
Cone-shaped area of cell body
What are the long axons?
Nerve fibers
What does it mean when branches are occasional?
Axon collaterals
What are the distal ends of an axon?
Axon terminals or terminal boutons
What are the functional characteristics of an axon?
- Conducting region of neuron.
- Generates nerve impulses.
- Transmits impulses along axolemma (neuron cell membrane) to axon terminal.
- Communicates with many different neurons at the same time.
- Lacks RER and Golgi apparatus
How does the axon compensate for not having a RER and Golgi?
- Cell body renews proteins and membranes.
- Efficient transport mechanisms.
- Quickly decay if cut or damaged.
What is an axon terminal?
The secretory region where neurotransmitters are released into extracellular space exciting or inhibiting neurons with axons
How are molecules and organelles moved along axons?
- Motor proteins
2. Cytoskeletal elements
Is the transport in the axon unidirectional?
Movement in both directions
What is the difference between anterograde and retrograde?
Anterograde moves away from the cell body, retrograde moves toward the cell body
What is a myelin sheath?
Segmented sheath around most long or large-diameter axons
What myelin sheaths composed of?
Myelin that are whitish, protein-lipoid substances
What are the functions of myelin?
- Protects and electrically insulates axon
2. Increases speed of nerve impulse transmission
How do nonmyelinated fibers differ from myelinated?
Conducts impulses more slowly
How does myelination occur in the PNS?
- Schwann cell envelops an axon
- Schwann cell then rotates around the axon, wrapping its plasma membrane loosely around it in successive layers
- The Schwann cell cytoplasm is forced from between the membranes and tightly wraps around axon
What are Myelin sheath gaps located?
Between adjacent Schwann cells
How do plasma membranes of mylinated cells differ from standard plasma membranes?
- Less protein
- No channels or carriers
- Good electrical insulators
Describe the structure of nonmyelinated fibers
- Thin fibers nor wrapped in mylin
- Surrounded by schwann cells but no coiling
- One cell may surround 15 different fibers
How are myelin sheaths in the CNS formed?
Formed by multiple, flat processes of oligodendrocytes
What is the difference between white and gray matter?
White: Regions of brain and spinal cord with dense collections of myelinated fibers – usually fiber tracts.
Gray: Mostly neuron cell bodies and nonmyelinated fibers.
What are the structural characteristics of neurons?
- Multipolar
- Bipolar
- Unipolar
What are the characteristics of multipolar neurons?
- 3 or more processes
- 1 axon and other dendrites
- Most common and major in CNS
What are the characteristics of bipolar neurons?
- 2 processes
- 1 axon and 1 dendrite
- Rare, found in retina and olfactory mucosa
What are the characteristics of unipolar neurons?
- 1 short process
- Distal (peripheral) process associated with sensory receptors
- Proximal (central) process that enters the CNS
What are the 3 types of neuron classifications?
- Sensory (afferent)
- Motor (efferent)
- Interneurons
What the characteristics of sensory neurons?
- Transmit impulses from sensory receptors toward CNS.
- Almost all are unipolar.
- Cell bodies in ganglia in PNS.
What the characteristics of motor neurons?
- Carry impulses from CNS to effectors.
- Multipolar.
- Most cell bodies in CNS (except some autonomic neurons)
What the characteristics of interneurons?
- Lie between motor and sensory neurons.
- Shuttle signals through CNS pathways; most are entirely within CNS.
- 99% of body’s neurons.
How are nerve fibers classified?
- Diameter
- Degree of myelination
- Speed of conduction
What are the characteristics of a Group A fiber?
- Large diameter, myelinated somatic sensory and motor fibers of skin, skeletal muscles, joints.
- Transmit at 150 m/s.
What are the characteristics of a Group B fiber?
- Intermediate diameter, lightly myelinated fibers.
2. Transmit at 15 m/s.
What are the characteristics of a Group C fiber?
- Smallest diameter, unmyelinated ANS fibers.
2. Transmit at 1 m/s.
What are the characteristics for membrane potential?
- Highly excitable
- Response is generated by action potential
- Impulse do not vary in magnitude
What are the 2 types of ion channels?
Leakage and gated channels
What are the 2 types of ion channels?
- Leakage are always open
2. Gated: part of the protein changes to either open or close
What are the 3 types of gated channels?
- Chemically-gated (ligand) channels
- Voltage-gated channels
- Mechanically gated channels
What is a chemically-gated channel?
Opens with binding of a specific neurotransmitter