Chapter 7 - The Nervous System Flashcards
What is the main difference between the Central Nervous System (CNS) and Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)?
- The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord
- The PNS consists of the cranial nerves arising from the brain, and the spinal nerves arising from the spinal cord.
What is a “Nissl Body?”
- Located within the cell body of nuerons, and are composed of large stacks of rough endoplasmic reticulum that are needed for the synthesis of membrane protiens.
Which neuron transmits impulses from the CNS to an effector organ, like a muscle?
Efferent neuron (Motor Neuron)
Which neuron transmits impulses from a sensory receptor into the CNS?
Afferent Neuron (sensory neuron)
What are interneurons?
- also called Association Neurons
- located entirely within the CNS and serve the associative, or integrative, functions of the nervous system
What are the 2 types of motor neurons?
Somatic
Autonomic
Somatic Neurons innervate…?
skeletal muscles, or muscles we can voluntarily control
Autonomic Neurons innervate…?
- involuntary effectors
- smooth muscles, cardiac muscles, glands
What are the 2 subdivisions of autonomic nerves?
Sympathetic
parasympathetic
Why are sensory neurons considered - Pseudounipolar?
- Technically sensory neurons originate with 2 processes - one receiving stimuli and creatig nerve impulses and one taking the message to the CNS
- Even though they are branched from the cell body, the 2 processes act as one long axon continuously conducting actino potentials
What are bipolar neurons?
- The have a process at either end of the cell body
- Normally found in the retine
What are multipolar neurons?
- Have several dendrites and one axon extending away from the cell body
- Example - motor neurons
What are the 2 types of neuroglia (glial) cells in the PNS?
- Schwann Cells (neurolemmocyte) - form myelin sheath around peripheral axons
- Satellite Cells (or ganglionic gliocytes) - support neuron cell bodies within the ganglia of the PNS
What are the 4 types of neuroglial cells in the CNS?
- Oligodendrocytes - form myelin sheath around axons of CNS
- Microglia - migrate through CNS and phagocytose foreign and degenerated material
- Astrocyte - help regulate the external environment of neurons in the CNS
- Ependymal Cells - epithelial cells that line the ventricles (Cavities) of the brain and central canal of the Spinal cord
What are some of the functions of microglia?
- kill exogenous pathogens
- remove damaged dendrites, axon terminals, myelin and other debris within CNS
- release anti inflammatory chemicals
- Overactive microglia can release free radicals…can contribute to neurodegenerative diseases.
Which type of axon will usually receive a myelin sheath?
- larger axons.
- Axons smaller than 2 micrometers are usually unmyelinated
Are unmyelinated axons still surrounded by neurilemma?
Yes, even unmyelinated axons are surround by neurilemma. They just do not have the multiple wrappings of Schwann cells and their plasma membrane - creating the myelin sheath.
Describe the difference between white matter and grey matter in the CNS.
- White matter - portions of the CNS where there is a higher concentration of oligodendrocytes creating myelin sheaths around the Axons
- Grey matter - composed of high concentrations of cell bodies and dendrites, which lack myelin sheaths
These proteins, produced predominantly by oligodendrocytes, inhibit axon regeneration in the CNS…?
Nogo proteins
This neurotrophin is a regulatory molecule produced by neurons that promotes the survival and growth of sympathetic and sensory neurons in teh developing fetal brain….
NGF - nerve growth factor
What are some of the roles of neurotrophins?
- maintenance of [] ganglia
- mature sensory neurons to [] after injury
- Regulate the survival and [] of adult neural stem cells in part of the brain in volved in learning and []
- In adult nervous system
- sympathetic
- regenerate
- differntiation, memory
- growth of dendrites, axons, formation of synapses and synaptic change during learning
Which is the most abundant glial cell in the CNS?
Astrocyte
(90% of nervous tissue in some areas of the brain)
How can an increase Ca2+ caused by neuronic APs, increase blood flow to the brain? (Hint - Astrocytes involved)
- Rise in Ca2+ promotes the production of prostaglandin E2 , which is released from an Astrocyte surrounding cerebral blood vessels and stimulates vasodillation.
What is neuron-glia crosstalk?
- Action potentials in neurons can provoke a rise in Ca2+ within a localized region of an astrocyte, which in turn stimulates the release of ATP and other gliotransmitters that affect the synaptic transmission of neurons
How are molecules within brain capillaries moved through the endothelial cells? Why is this the case?
- Diffusion, active transport, endocytosis, and exocytosis
- Endothelial cells of the brain are not connected to adjecent cells by pores…but by tight junctions. This creates the blood-brain barrier.
How does plasma glucose enter the brain?
The carrier protein GLUT1.
How are the endothelial cells of the brain and the astrocytes interconnected?
- Astrocytes secrete molecules to stimulate the endothelial cells to produce the proteins of the tight junctions - holding the blood-brain barrier together
- also stimulate the production of the proteins of carriers, ion channels, and enzymes that destory toxic molecules
- Endothelial cells in-turn secrete regulators that promote the growth and differentiation of astrocytes.
Do all cells have the same RMP? What is a neurons RMP?
- no
- -70 mV
What are the 3 main causes of the RMP, listed in order of influence?
- Permeability of membranes to K+ / Na+ (K+ more!)
- Na+/K+ Pumps
- Negatively charged anions in the cytoplasm pull cations in, if possible
If (+) ions flood into a cell, the membrane potential will become more positive…this is called
Depolarization (hypopolarization)
What is caused if (-) ions were to rush into a cell?
hyperpolarization
Does depolarization excite or inhibit? Why?
- Depolarization excites a dendrite or cell body because it causes the RMP to become more positive…trying to reach that -55 threshold to hit an action potential!! EXCITING!